


Endure and Survive

by orphan_account



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Post-Apocalypse, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-18
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-02-26 05:27:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 93,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2639795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The year is 2026. The world as we know it was lost 13 years ago, thanks to a cordyceps virus that turns humans into the deadly infected. Anna Bell and her sister Elsa have taken refuge in the city's quarantine zone, where rations are scarce and executions of suspected infected run high. When the sisters meet Kristoff Bjorgman, a fellow survivor with plans of escaping and finding a cure, they must choose to stay in the zone, or risk it all in hopes of finding the one thing to ensure their survival. Endure and Survive is a story about hope, loss, and fighting for what's still worth saving. A Last of Us!au</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**PART 1: Summer**

**T** he screams; that’s what she’d heard first. There were so many; bloodcurdling and frantic and simply horrifying. Then there were sirens, people running, explosions, buildings being set aflame. “Anna, we’ve got to run!” Elsa had screamed, yanking her down the street. They’d been out for dinner at a small diner together, feeling so mature and grown-up since their parents had let them go out alone, despite the fact that they were only 12 and 15.

Then suddenly, everything went wrong.

At first Anna had thought some gunman or crazed person had come in with a bomb, after all, everyone had started yelling and fleeing the building as fast as they could, but she quickly learned otherwise. A deranged man had run up to her, pinning her against the brick wall of the diner and clawing at her face.

“ELSA!” Anna screeched, terrified tears running down her face. The man’s eyes were red and bloody, and he had what looked like a  _fungus_  growing right on his face! The smell of earth and decay filled her nose as Anna tried to fight him back, but it was no use, he was too strong.

Elsa had kicked the thing from behind, grabbed it, and shoved it onto the ground, giving it one last stomp for good measure.

“W-what was THAT?!” Anna exclaimed, wiping the blood off her shirt and clutching onto her sister’s hand.

“It doesn’t matter, we’ve got to get out of here!” Elsa said frantically, dragging her down the street.

It had all seemed like a blur – more like a nightmare, actually. There were so many people running, screaming, falling to the ground, trampling each other, crying, and wailing. The growing horde of the crazy ones flooded the streets; snarling, croaking, and attacking; bringing more into their disease. The night air hung thick with the smell of blood, and panic crashed through the city like a hurricane.

Anna kept telling herself it was all just a dream, that in a few moments she’d wake up and everything would be back to normal again. She and Elsa would be giggling over that new neighbor that obviously had a crush on Elsa, sharing bread sticks, talking about movies, and gossiping about friends. Everything would be just as it was.

Too bad she never woke up.  

 


	2. The Quarantine

**A** nna sat up in bed, her heart pounding in her chest. The room was dark and humid around her, and the bed was as stiff as ever. She glanced around at her surroundings, making sure she was safe. Their room looked the same as it always did; curtains pulled shut, an alarm clock on top of an almost empty dresser, and dirty clothes on the floor.

She was okay.

Anna buried her face in her hands, trying to calm herself.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop reliving that night. The last night she had true freedom; the same night it all came crashing down.

The clock on the wall read 6:50. Morning wake-up call would be soon. Anna  sighed shakily and got out of bed, her brow furrowing when she saw that Elsa was missing from her bunk. Where was she? It wasn’t like her to leave before morning inspection. More often than not, it would be Elsa shaking Anna out of bed, reminding her that the cooks told her there would be a few muffins for breakfast today, so they had to get there fast. Things like that would always get Anna going.

She crossed the small 20 x 20 foot room, opening the door. “Elsa?” She whispered, sticking her head down the empty hall. Silence. Anna trudged back into their room, running her hands through her hair in frustration. What if something had happened? What if Elsa was hurt? The possibilities ran wild through her mind, and all ended with Anna wanting her sister back. She knew she was probably overreacting, but she needed to know her sister was safe.

She was all Anna had left.

As expected, the morning wake up bells blared down the dingy, gray halls, summoning everyone to the front yard for inspection. Anna quickly brushed her hair, shoved on a tank top and jeans, and ran, knowing full well what the penalties would be if she was late.

After the outbreak, the nation’s capital had set up a quarantine zone in every state, a place where the non-infected could go to be safe from the outside world. Elsa had insisted they flee to theirs, here in Connecticut, as she wanted nothing but Anna’s safety and security. Besides, how else were orphan children going to survive without any guidance? Their parents were gone – lost to the infection, just like any sense of simplicity, just like their home, just like their friends, just like the world as they’d known it.

In all honesty, Anna hated it here sometimes. And by sometimes, she meant most times. The people here were so harsh and cruel, not to mention conditions were rough. They’d taken shelter at a special part of the zone for children, one that promised reassurance and hope. 13 years later, it was full of new children, adults, families, and people doing what they could to get by. With so many people there was rarely enough food, despite the fact that it was military-run. The soldiers who controlled the place were more often than not harsh, cruel, and unsympathetic; a far cry from what they’d started out as.

Anna wasn’t the only one who couldn’t stand it here. People had started sneaking out more and more in hopes of sampling a taste of freedom, and in the process were getting attacked and infected. That was why they needed…this.

They lined up in the front yard as Anna glanced around through the crowd, her mind frantic. _Where the hell was she?_

The budding sunrise cast a red-orange glow over the group of clearly nervous quarantine members. Tight whispers were exchanged, low and quick. Anna knew she was clean, but she couldn’t help but feel nervous too. Everyone always was. After all, all it took was a scratch from someone infected, and you were a goner. That was why as much as Anna hated it here, she knew they couldn’t leave. The outside world was dangerous and deadly, venturing into it wasn’t worth the risk.

Finally, Elsa ran up to her place in line next to Anna, panting and kicking up a cloud of dirt behind.

_“_ _Where were you!?”_  Anna hissed, torn between relief and annoyance. “I was worried sick!”

“I’ll explain it later,” Elsa whispered, standing up straight. “But trust me, it was important.”

_It better be,_ Anna muttered mentally. After all, she’d only almost worried herself to death! Usually it was the other way around, actually. Growing up, Elsa had always been the one stopping Anna from jumping out of their tree house to test her ‘flying abilities,’ Elsa had been the one worrying herself sick when Anna got the flu, Elsa had been the one to remind her that wearing her jeans with her dress would not be a good idea. She was always there for her.

Then again, those times were long gone now; it seemed almost impossible to not live in constant anxiety, even if the zone was supposed to represent safety.

Everyone was lined up, everyone was there, the alarm rang again, and the inspection began. A stiff hush fell over the crowd as the officer walked down the line, examining each individual with a handheld scanner designed to pick up signs of infected. As he passed each clean person, you could see their shoulders slump and sigh of relief hanging on her lips. They would live to see another day.

Anna stood still, feeling as if she somehow breathed too hard the scanner would say she was infected. Much too quickly, the officer reached her. She closed her eyes, held her breath. The scanner passed over her body, the familiar hum resonating in her ears.  _Please, please, please, please, PLEASE-_

“Clean,” the officer said, moving on.

_Thank God._ There’d been far too many nights where Anna had nightmares about being scanned positive, about being shoved to the ground, forced onto her hands and knees and-

“Clean,” he called out again, moving away from Elsa.

Anna turned to give her sister a smile, reaching out to hold her hand. Okay, so Elsa probably hadn’t left the zone. But still, why had she been up so early? Anna definitely needed an explanation. She’d ask her as soon as they were finished with inspection.

They were almost done. The officer had just reached the end of the line when-

“On your knees!”

Everyone turned to catch a glimpse of a woman kneeling on the ground, her hands in the air and her sobs echoing through the lot. The armed guards surrounded her, aiming the guns right at her head. “She scanned positive,” one informed the other, cocking his rifle.

“You know what to do,” he replied, his voice stern and cold.

“N-no! P-please!” The woman wailed, her whole body shaking with pure fear and desperation, just as everyone always did. Anna felt her heart sink. She’d known her, the woman used to read her and the other kids stories to comfort them right after the outbreak. “I’m clean!” She sobbed. “I-it’s a mistake! P-please, let me li-”

Two gunshots, then silence.

It happened at least once every week or so, and yet Anna never ceased to be scarred by it. The soldiers felt otherwise. “Everyone return to your assigned cabins immediately!” One shouted, his gun still raised.

Anna and Elsa did as they were told, but not before Anna caught one glimpse of the woman’s body being dragged off the lot, to where, she didn’t know. “Do you really think she was infected?” Anna whispered, leaning closer to her sister. “She looked fine to me.”

Elsa looked nervously at the guards, as if they could hear them despite the fact that she and Anna were already walking through the main building’s front doors. “Well, you can’t always tell right away,” she mumbled.

Anna could read between the lines.

☳☳☳

The cafeteria air was hot, muggy, and sticky; much unlike the bowl of stale oatmeal Anna had sitting before her. God, what she’d do for one of those muffins, or better yet, a doughnut. A chocolate doughnut. She hadn’t had one in years, though she could still remember the taste; warm, soft, sugary, the icing melting away in her mouth….

_Learn to work with what you got._ That’s what their parents had always said. Elsa had starting saying it too, whenever Anna went off on one of her wistful daydreams on life returning to normal, of being kids again. But what if there was nothing to work with? What if this was what it’d be like forever? The concept was dismal.

“So where were you this morning?” Anna asked, shaking herself back to the present. “I was so worried! I mean, you disappeared from your bunk and I was all alone and…”

“I’m sorry for that.” Elsa sat up straighter, clearly uncomfortable. “I…was…uh…talking with someone.”

Anna raised an inquiring eyebrow. “Who?”

Elsa hesitated, glancing around the room and its stained, peeling walls. “He lives here in the school, about my age.”

Anna smirked. “So you have a little crush, huh?”

“No!” Elsa yelped, her eyes wide in embarrassment. “He just had some…interesting things to say. We were on night watch for the past few weeks together, and…well, I think we can trust him.”

“Define interesting.”

“I’ll tell you later, when we’re alone.” Elsa muttered, her eyes still scanning the room.

“No, tell me now,” Anna insisted, leaning closer. She hated how secretive her sister could be sometimes. You would think after all these years, Elsa would have learned to trust her, but no, she was too worried about Anna’s safety, so worried that Anna felt like Elsa was her babysitter, not her sister. She always kept things from her, and even if it was for her own good, Anna was 25 years old! She could handle the truth. That was why this time, she wasn’t going to let it slide. “I mean it Elsa. What  _exactly_  did he say?”

Elsa bit her lip and wrung her hands, clearly at war with herself. She looked her sister in the eye before finally leaning over, cupping her ear, and whispering so low her words were almost inaudible.

_“An escape plan.”_


	3. The Plan

Kristoff Bjorgman was a scruffy sort of man, to say the least. He had a mop of dirty blonde hair that would have been more golden if they had any shampoo around here, and wore a plaid navy cotton shirt, with a gray hoodie that had seen better days. A 5 o’clock shadow dusted his jaw, covering a few scars on his chin. He had broad shoulders and a stocky build, and wore a pair of old blue jeans that were faded at the knees.

Anna looked nervously at him; something about him made her feel a twisted emotion of both unease and tranquility. He had his arms folded over his chest defensively, but he seemed to be reassured when he saw it was Elsa approaching. He stood up straighter as the sisters walked up to him, their footsteps muffled by the dirt of the back lot.

“Are you sure we can trust him?” Anna whispered again, stepping closer to Elsa.

“I told you, he’s a good man,” Elsa replied, checking one last time to make sure the coast was clear. They’d planned to meet at the back of the school, in private. Elsa wanted to discuss this ‘escape” together, especially since their lives could be at stake.

Anna didn’t see the point in this at all. Sure, it sucked here, but it was a lot safer than it would be out in the open. Why was Elsa even considering this?

Kristoff nodded to them in welcome. “You sure nobody saw or heard you?” He asked, double checking over their shoulders.

“We’re sure,” Elsa said coolly. “Kristoff, this is my sister, Anna.”

Kristoff gave no welcome, and instead scanned Anna over with a hint of disdain. “Are you sure she can handle this?” He muttered.

“Handle what?” Anna demanded, placing her hands on her hips. She didn’t like his tone, or the way he was looking at her, for that matter.

“I’m sure,” Elsa nodded, ignoring Anna’s question. “Now let’s hurry.”

He sighed, but started walking. “Follow me.”

He led them to the back of the armory building, reminding them they had to stay quiet. They climbed up the side of the building on the rickety ladder attached to the brick, making their way to the roof. Anna kept looking over her shoulder as her hands moved up the hot metal. Wouldn’t someone see them up here? 

Luckily, there was no one.

Kristoff then guided them across the rooftops, his movements swift and practiced.

Anna’s heart was pounding in her chest, half in fear and half in exhilaration. If they got caught up here, they’d be screwed. But at the same time, this was kind of fun; jumping from building to building, up above everyone else, ducking behind air ducts and broken air conditioners when a soldier was in the area, being able to see the city for miles….

…Even if Kristoff kept snapping at her every time she landed on her knees and not her feet after a jump, and when she’d curse and groan afterward.

“I’m sorry!” She scowled, brushing her jeans off. “Yeesh.”

“We’ve got to keep quiet!” Kristoff hissed, crossing his arms over his chest. “If we get caught because of-”

“We’ll be fine!” She muttered. “You’re making more noise than me.”

His eyes narrowed. “Excuse me!?”

Elsa rolled her eyes. “Both of you, quiet. Anna, we’re almost there, now stay close to me.”

Their “school” was in reality an abandoned apartment complex. They’d split up buildings into separate uses, some for dormitories, one for the cafeteria, and a lot for the military. It barely looked like any complex anymore. The grass was dead, brown, mostly gone, and instead replaced by hard dirt. Some buildings were so busted down they were about to fall apart. It was fenced off from the rest of the zone, to discourage people from escaping and keep other people from flooding in. Ever since the outbreak, Anna hadn’t been outside the complex; she didn’t even know what the rest of the world was like now, only that the number of infected had risen by the thousands.

Finally, they made it to the highest building in the lot, where they got a good view of the city around them. They crouched behind a group of crates, pausing to catch their breath.

“Okay, what are we doing up here?” Anna asked, turning to look at them. “Was all this really necessary?”

Elsa leaned closer to Anna, pointing off into the distance, towards a flicker of the gleaming river. “That’s where the quarantine ends, that’s where we would go. I asked Kristoff and he says he’ll let us go with him!”

Anna laughed in disbelief. “Go? Elsa, what are you-”

“Listen,” Kristoff interrupted, turning to look at her. “At the city border is a fence, it’s guarded by military personnel 24/7, but it’s easier at night. We can sneak past them and-”

Anna backed away, dragging a hand through her hair. “Whoa, whoa, wait! Slow down! What is going on?!”

Elsa bit her lip and glanced at Kristoff. “Kristoff sneaks out of the school sometimes to do some trades for clothes and better food. And he’s…heard things.”

Anna frowned. “Things?”

“A cure,” Kristoff said, a gleam in his eye. “A vaccine to end this fucking infection for good. I know these guys on the black market, they heard it over the radio. They’re making it in this lab, up in Salt Lake City.”

“So what?” Anna asked, raising an eyebrow. “You want to go there? That’s hundreds of miles away! What, you think you can just break in there and take it? I’m sure once they finish it we’ll all get to-”

“They said they’re only giving it to Class 1 personnel,” Kristoff muttered, his lips curving in a scowl. “Meaning-”

“Not us,” Anna finished, her heart sinking. “Only soldiers, politicians…”

“Exactly,” Elsa nodded, taking a hold of her sisters hand. “But if we could go there, and just take a little for ourselves, then we’d never get infected! We could live in peace! You’d be safe, Anna, forever!”

Anna shook her head. “But risk our lives? For a chance at immunity? Elsa, I know it sucks here, but-”

“But what?!” Elsa exclaimed. “We can’t keep living like this! Conditions are getting worse every day! We’re running out of food, more people are getting infected, and you and I both know those ‘inspections’ are just for population control. What if we’re next? If we were immune, we could go somewhere else, find someplace safe, and I wouldn’t have to worry about you getting hurt!”

“You don’t always have to worry about me!” Anna snapped, pulling away from her. “I’m an adult, I can take care of myself! You’re not my mother!”

Elsa’s face fell. Her shoulders slumped, and she pulled away, looking to the concrete under her feet. A beat of silence passed between the two, filled only by the sound of the wind that gently whipped their hair, and the nervous shuffling of Kristoff’s feet. Anna felt her heart sink with guilt, and she tugged on the end of her braid. Great choice of words, Anna.

“I’m not your mother,” Elsa said calmly, “But I am your sister. And I need to know you’re safe. You’re the only reason I’m still here, Anna.”

Anna was silent. She tried to stay mad, to be frustrated that her sister was thinking so foolishly, but she couldn’t. After all, she felt the same way. She’d take a bullet for Elsa, if she needed to. Anything to make sure Elsa was okay.

Kristoff sat there, looking awkwardly between the two sisters. “Well…I’m going, whether you two are or not. I can’t stick around here much longer, it’s driving me crazy.”

Elsa looked at him, and then at her sister, her eyes full of sincerity. “Anna…we could do this. If we worked together with Kristoff, we could make it. We could survive on our own! We could be together, and happy!”

Anna nibbled on her lower lip, still unsure. “It’s risky, Elsa…”

“I know, but if it means you’ll be safe, I’m willing to pay any price.” Elsa smiled, placing a reassuring hand on Anna’s shoulder.

Anna sighed, looking back to the river. It looked so peaceful as it sparkled in the sun; so much so it almost made Anna forget about the dangers lurking beyond it. This was a stupid plan, she knew that. But maybe…maybe it could work. They could get a nice little cabin in the woods, with their own fence for protection. They could steal from shops, make their own food. Maybe even grow some if they could learn to farm. There’d be no more cold oatmeal, executions, or lack of clothing and food. No more fear of getting shot just because you looked strange. No more being caged in. It’d be just the two of them.

Anna looked back towards the river one last time, closed her eyes, and took a breath.

“Let’s do it.”


	4. The Brick Master

Of course, one didn’t just “escape” the quarantine zone. The task would take much more than just sneaking out in the dark of night. The military was armed and aggressive, and Kristoff was certain there were clickers hidden in the sewer system of the city, despite the fact that the military proudly boasted on being an “infected-free” city for 3 months now.

“Clickers?” Anna asked, as they sat on the roof of one of the dormitories. The rooftops were one of the only places where they could talk without risk of being overheard, as security cameras and soldiers were virtually everywhere else on the complex.

“The second stage of the infection.” Kristoff sighed and rolled his eyes, as if this was supposed to be obvious knowledge.

“There’s stages?” Anna’s eyes widened in disbelief, and slight horror. At the school, they’d just been taught that getting bit, scratched, or exchanging blood with an infected person was all it took for you to become infected yourself. Once you had the virus, you’d go crazy, fungus would grow on your body, and you’d eventually die. She was never told how long someone stayed infected, or what they’d look like as time went on. Just that the infected were deadly and dangerous, and that staying inside the zone was mandatory.

“Of course!” Kristoff scoffed, his eyes scanning over the city map they were huddled around. “Don’t you know anything?”

Anna’s eyes narrowed. Even though they’d been working together for weeks now, planning and strategizing, she was never not annoyed around Kristoff. He always had something negative to say, mainly to her. They got into squabbles over everything, from serious matters such as which street they should take to get to the city fence quicker, or petty disagreements like whether or not Anna could run faster than him.

Elsa told her he was just uncomfortable around new people, but Anna frankly didn’t care. While she knew they’d have to tolerate each other if they wanted to survive out there, it just wasn’t easy. Thankfully, this time Elsa gave Kristoff a cold glare, and a stern shake of her head.

He sighed, muttering that he was sorry. “Runners are first,” he explained, “They’re fast and deadly, but still have some human consciousness left. Then clickers, that’s when the fungus growing on you splits your entire face apart. They can’t see so they make a clicking sound for echolocation. Then bloaters, they’re the worst. Completely covered in the cordyceps – it’s fucking disgusting.”

Anna shuddered, hugging herself in comfort. She had only seen infected on the first few days of the outbreak, before the zone was established. And according to Kristoff, they all had to be runners. None of them had anything splitting their whole face apart! That sounded horrible. Thinking about all the people lost to the virus made her see why Elsa wanted to get that cure, Anna never wanted either of them to turn into one of those things.

“Alright,” Kristoff said, turning his attention back to the task at hand. “Their defenses are weakest between 12:30 and 1 am, that’s our window, that’s when the evening and midnight crews switch shifts. We distract the guards, and leave the school through the back gate. We take the city backstreets and alleys to the border, then climb the fence. Then it’s just over the city bridge and we’re in the clear.”

“It sounds too easy,” Anna muttered.

“You got a better idea?” He countered, huffing in frustration. “Because this is the best plan we’ve got.”

More like the only plan. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” Anna scowled, folding her arms over her chest.

“If we’re fast enough, we should be able to do this,” Elsa said. “Kristoff’s been sneaking out to watch the soldiers’ movements at the border, he knows what he’s talking about.”

“Thank you,” Kristoff said, smirking slightly at Anna.

Anna rolled her eyes. “Where are you even going to go, after we get the cure?”

Kristoff shrugged. “I’ll find my own place.”

Elsa didn’t look so sure. “You mean you’ll be alone?”

He hesitated for a moment, and for a second Anna could have sworn she saw something other than his usual cold stubbornness flash through his eyes. But it came and went faster than she had time to process it. “I’m better off that way,” he muttered.

Anna looked away. While she couldn’t stand Kristoff, the thought of him out there, alone, with no one to help him, seemed like a stupid idea. Anna couldn’t imagine what it’d be like to survive without Elsa, but she knew she wouldn’t make it, that was for sure. Anna couldn’t hunt or kill; she could barely walk without tripping over her own feet! But that would have to change once they got out into the outside world. She’d have to be strong and tough, like Elsa. And yes, admittedly like Kristoff too. “Are you sure?” She mumbled.

Kristoff eyed her. “Yes.” 

☳☳☳

Ever since they’d started planning their escape, Anna felt like she had a shadow of suspicion following her wherever she went. Soldiers popped up in random places, they seemed to look at her funny, they whispered around her, readjusted the guns that they carried with them at all times.

So she was a little paranoid, but what was she to do? Things were getting worse. Just last week, the sergeant had announced that any residents who tried to sneak out of the quarantine and come back would be shot on site, to avoid more bitten people sneaking in. Everyone had exchanged nervous whispers and worried looks, including Anna and Elsa.

Kristoff had found out from a group of bandits that the number of infected hidden in the city was rising. The military was concerned about keeping the school safe, as it was one of the few clean places left, the group had told him.

The school had upped the amount of inspections to two a day, one in the morning, and one at night. No one had been scanned positive yet, but Anna knew it was only a matter of time. They always found someone.

Elsa was doing her best to ensure their safety on the journey. She’d started smuggling food out of the cafeteria, and she and Kristoff even planned on taking some weapons from the armory. She’d stolen a small amount of health supplies, like bandages and rubbing alcohol, from the medical ward, and a United States map from the main office.

They were just waiting for the right day, that feeling they’d get where they’d just know that now was the time to act. The sisters would give him pointed looks at morning inspection, but he’d always shake his head.

Anna had trouble sleeping; her constant nervousness about their mission made her nightmares worse. She kept dreaming about becoming infected, about getting bit, about being left behind by Elsa and Kristoff, about getting caught by the military. Every time she’d wake up, her heart bursting from her chest and her mind screaming. She’d shakingly crawl down off her bunk, and lie next to Elsa in hers, who was always ready to comfort her. “We’re going to be okay,” Elsa would whisper, hugging her close. “We’ve got a good plan, we’re going to get that cure, and we’re going to be safe.”

Anna didn’t know why she was so nervous. She had always been so carefree and fearless, but now with all this stress pressing down on her from all sides, she felt like she was going to crack.

Thankfully, she still managed to steal a few moments of peace, even fun. One evening she, Elsa, and Kristoff had snuck up to the roof again for some quiet, when Kristoff found some spare bricks. Anna had jokingly suggested that they throw them at the office building that was a couple hundred feet away from the school, and to her surprise, Kristoff reluctantly agreed, so long as they stay quiet.

Anna had a feeling Elsa had told him about what a rough time she was having with the idea of the escape, but nevertheless, a competition quickly began. Anna had boasted that she could hit more windows that Kristoff could, to which he laughed and told her, “only in your dreams.” Elsa had agreed to be referee. They chucked the bricks as hard as they could, making sure to take cover when a guard walked by.

Kristoff did excellently, of course, Anna could tell just by watching him that he was incredibly strong. However, her appreciation for his muscular frame left as soon as it came. Every time he successfully hit a window, he’d throw her this stupid gloating smirk that was driving her crazy. God, how was she going to survive living around this guy for the next few months? Good thing she had Elsa to casually nudge Kristoff every time he threw a brick, throwing off his aim and in the end allowing Anna to win.

“What the hell, Elsa?” Kristoff exclaimed, pouting in disbelief.

“Take that!” Anna cheered, jumping in place. “I am the brick champion!”

Kristoff folded his arms over his chest and frowned. “Only because of Elsa,” he muttered, scowling more when Elsa started to giggle.

“Good job, Anna,” she smiled, ruffling her sister’s hair.

Anna blushed and smiled back. It was nice to see Elsa laugh, she rarely did it anymore. Not that Anna was much better. “Thanks.”

Elsa opened her mouth to respond, but was quickly cut off by the sound of a large door being slammed shut underneath them.

“I heard noises!” One soldier called out the others across the lot. “Search the area, it could be intruders!”

“Shit,” Kristoff muttered, ducking behind a broad chimney. Anna and Elsa ran over to him, holding their breaths and trying to still their pounding hearts.

If we get caught it’ll all be my fault, Anna kept reminding herself, we could get punished or killed for breaking the rules, and it’ll be because of ME. She squeezed her eyes shut, counting down from ten in her head.

The soldiers walked through the entire lot, calling out for each other as they looked for the source of the noise. Elsa held Anna’s hand tight, their palms both sweaty. The soldiers seemed to calm down when they realized they couldn’t find anyone, but it wasn’t over yet.

“Check the roof,” the sergeant told the other two. “We can’t have people sneaking in here, you know how those bandits are.”

SHIT, SHIT, SHIT! Anna huddled closer to Elsa, her heart beating faster with every step the two soldiers took up the ladder. Kristoff swore under his breath, and tossed Anna an angry glare. Great, another thing for him to hold over her head, if he’d even get the chance to.

They were beyond dead.

Her stomach lurched as she heard the sound of two pairs of military boots hitting the hard concrete of the roof. She felt like she was going to be sick.

“Do you see anything?” One asked the other, walking over to the chimney.

“I don’t see shit,” the other muttered, adjusting his gun. “It was probably just an animal or something.”

Elsa wrapped a protective arm around Anna, giving her a squeeze of reassurance, as the soldier’s footsteps got closer…and closer…

…And stopped.

“There’s nothing up here,” he muttered, turning his back to the chimney. “I’m sick of this BS.”

“Well, we’ll be out of here soon.” His comrade muttered. “Thank God.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

The soldier sounded surprised. “Didn’t you hear? There’s at least a thousand of those fucking infected getting into the city. They managed to tear down the fence from the South side of town, it’s a mess.”

“So what are the heads going to do?”

He laughed dryly. “We’re getting shipped out, and they’re going to blow this whole city sky high.”

Anna fought back a gasp, instead turning to look at Elsa with wide, terrified, eyes.

The other soldier sounded shocked. “They’re going to bomb it? What about the citizens?”

“You think they give a damn? They’re just a liability to the government, anything left of those ‘officials’ just want to save their own asses. It’s going to happen soon, that’s all I know.”

The first soldier whistled. “God damn…the whole world has gone to shit.”

“Don’t I know it.”

The soldiers climbed back down to the ladder, continuing their conversation with talks on winter shipments and food rations, but Anna didn’t process a single word. She turned to look at Elsa and Kristoff, whose faces were awash with all the same emotions she was feeling; realization, fear, and then desperation.

Kristoff turned to look at both sisters, his face slightly pale.

“We leave tonight.”


	5. The First Night

13 Years Earlier

 

“Get down!” Elsa hissed, yanking Anna into the bushes as another swarm of crazy people ran by. Anna fought back a yelp, wincing as her legs got scratched by some thorns. The swarm ran past them, further down the suburban street, where more bodies and terrified screams awaited them.

“What do they want from us?!” Anna whispered frantically, starting to feel sick again as she watched a man get attacked by the swarm.

“They’re sick,” Elsa said, looking disgusted as they watched the infected people tear the man to pieces. “Really sick.”

Anna fought back the fearful tears threatening to escape. “We have to get to Mom and Dad,” she whispered, “They’re still safe right?”

“Yes!” Elsa exclaimed, a little too sternly. “I mean…they have to be.” She stood up from the bushes, double-checking that they were in the clear. “C’mon,” she said, helping Anna up. “We’re only a few blocks away from home.”

Anna knew they were running, though by now her legs felt numb. She was simply moving through space at this point, her mind moving too fast for her to think straight. We have to get home, she kept telling herself, we have to get to Mom and Dad.

The sisters were both covered in dirt and blood, and even some oil from the gas station that had exploded back in the city. Both of their legs were scratched up from scrambling over fences and crawling through bushes, though Anna couldn’t really register the pain. Anna was so scared, she could barely breathe. She kept falling over, scraping her knees, trying not to burst into tears.

“You’ve got to get up!” Elsa would always say, yanking her off the ground. “We have to get to Mom and Dad!”

So she kept going.

The whole world looked different; everywhere people were in a panic, running, fleeing, getting attacked, crashing cars. The house of a neighbor was on fire, as well as several others. People were getting into fights, running out of their homes, firing off guns, and crying for help.

Anna had never seen so much intense violence and disaster; except for in the action movies her Dad got mad at her for watching. But this was different, this was real, and it was taking place before her very eyes.

They ran past the danger, destruction, and death, narrowly avoiding being caught in the crossfire, until they turned onto their own street, where everything was quiet.

Eerily quiet. 

The screams for help were faded and seemed far away, as though they were in another world. The crickets were chirping, the wind rustled the trees, a few birds flew past, a dog barked from someone’s backyard, and the streetlights cast yellow-white halos over the sidewalk.

Everything looked normal.

Well, it would have, if it wasn’t for the fact that the windows of Anna and Elsa’s house were shattered and broken into, the flower beds were trampled and blood-drenched, and all the lights inside were off.

This couldn’t be good.

The girls stepped down the street quietly, hand-in-hand, their knuckles white. Anna wondered if Elsa was as scared as she was. “M-maybe they’re just asleep?” She whispered hopefully, knowing by the look on Elsa’s face how naive the statement really was.

“Maybe,” Elsa muttered, though Anna knew she didn’t really mean it.

Even though Anna had lived in this house her entire life, walking up the front steps felt ominous and foreign. Please let them be okay, she prayed. The sisters carefully opened the front door, peeking their heads in. “M-mom? Dad?” Elsa whispered, stepping into the dark foyer.

The house was silent. Everything was just in place; Elsa’s paintings were still hung on display, as well as their family portrait - it was the first thing you saw when you entered the home. The carpet was nice and clean, the air even still held the hint of the perfume their mother would wear. Everything looked fine, until they got to the living room.

Anna entered behind Elsa, drawn over by the sound of her sister’s terrified gasp. Blood was splattered on the walls, the TV was broken and on the floor, the curtains were torn, glass from the windows was all over the floor, and the room smelt like the decay Anna had smelled on the man who’d attacked her. The muggy summer air drifted through the open windows, making the room seem hazy. Silver moonlight shone through as well, illuminating two bodies that stood with their backs to the girls; a man and a woman. The woman wore the same purple summer dress their mother had been wearing this morning, and the man had the same brown loafers Anna’s father had let her stand on when they danced together in this exact room.

Salty tears mixed with slick blood and dirt as Anna stepped closer to the pair. “M-mom?”

With a screech, the couple turned on the girls, their eyes red and bloody like all the others. Red, blotchy spots covered their once familiar faces, and gleaming red bite marks adorned their necks.

“Anna!” Elsa screamed, yanking her sister out of the way just as their father lunged for her.

Anna burst into tears, clutching onto Elsa for dear life. “T-they’re…oh god…”

“We have to move!” Elsa exclaimed, pulling her sister out of the room. They ducked as their mother swiped at them, her hand smacking against the wall with a bang that resonated the girls to the core. They ran back to the foyer, Anna’s heart pounding in her throat.

Their parents followed them down the hall, croaking and screeching. They were almost free, until their father grabbed Anna by the heel, flipping her onto her back and dragging her back into the living room. “ELSA!” Anna shrieked, trying to grab a hold of something. Her fingers dug into the thick rug underneath her, but it was no use. She could feel her father’s horrid breath getting closer to her as he snarled, his teeth dangerously close to her neck. “G-get away!” She yelped, finally kicking him right in the face.

He recoiled, clawing at his face and stumbling backwards with an angered croak.

Elsa lifted Anna up again, wrapping an arm around her and guiding them out of the house. They ran as fast as they could, their feet smacking hard against the pavement. Anna didn’t know where they were going, or what they were going to do; she just ran and ran and ran until she found herself at the elementary school playground, hiding in highest tower of the wooden play castle. Elsa was crouched beside her, her breaths harsh and rough. She ran her hands through her hair, looking up at Anna with a shocked horror as the weight of what they’d just witnessed fully set in.

Anna couldn’t stop sobbing; her cries echoed through the night, muffled only when Elsa put her hand over her mouth. “W-we have to stay quiet!” She whispered, her voice hoarse and shaky. “W-we can’t attract any m-more of them!”

Anna just shook her head, her whole body convulsing. “W-we never should have left them,” she sobbed, “Never.”

Elsa looked at her, her eyes filled to the brim with tears. “I know.”

☳☳☳

Anna woke to someone shaking her and whispering her name urgently. “It’s time to go,” Elsa whispered, handing Anna her backpack. “It’s 10:00, we don’t have much time.”

Anna sat up quickly, her heart immediately leaping into overdrive and her nightmare still fresh on her mind. “Alright,” she nodded, trying to sound more brave than she felt. If there was one thing she promised herself, it was that on this journey she would prove to both her sister and Kristoff that she could be strong. She would be able to handle dangers on her own - no babysitting required.

She suited up, tying her sneakers tight and zipping up her hoodie. She shoved some last minutes things into her bag, like her water bottle, a pocket knife, and her watch. Elsa had told her to only pack necessary things, but Anna had managed to slip one personal effect into the back pocket of her denim shorts; a charm bracelet her parents had bought for her 10th birthday, complete with snowflake charms Elsa had picked out, just for her. It was one of the last things Anna still had from their old life, the last thing that reminded her that this world was not always as bleak and miserable as it was now. She was hoping that with this cure, they could have some hope that things would get better again. Maybe things could be normal.

Elsa was waiting in front of their dormitory door, her face stern and serious. “Are you ready?” She asked as Anna approached her. “Because once we leave this room, everything changes.”

Anna took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and nodded. Whatever was out there, she was willing to face it. Whether clicker or military or anything in between, she knew that with her sister, they could make it. She was going to get their happy ending, their last hope for survival.

She was ready.


	6. The Escape

“ **T** ake this,” Kristoff muttered, tossing a 9 millimeter pistol into Anna’s hands.

She caught it clumsily, almost dropping it to the ground. “A g-gun?” She stammered, looking at the object in dread. “W-what is this for?”

He rolled his eyes. “Self defense.”

Their voices were low, but every part of Anna felt loud and intense. She was standing steady, but inside she was shaking like a leaf. She kept looking out the window of the small apartment room that was the armory, making sure no soldiers were heading their way.

Elsa rummaged through the shelves, stealing boxes of ammo and several different weapons. “Be careful with that Anna,” she said, looking concerned. “It’s not a toy.”

“I know!” Anna pouted, still eying the gun in distaste. “I’m not stupid! I just…I don’t want to kill anyone.”

Kristoff grabbed a bow and quiver, slinging it over his shoulder. “Then prepare to get killed.”

“ _Kristoff!”_  Elsa scowled, narrowing her eyes at him.

He shrugged, loading up a rifle. “What? It’s true. If she doesn’t learn to defend herself, she’s not going to make it.”

“I know how to defend myself!” Anna snapped, shoving the gun into her back pocket. “Just not with guns!”

He snorted. “Sure.”

“Come on you two,” Elsa whispered, peeking out the door. “We don’t have much time.”

They snuck out the back door of the armory, into the hot summer night. All of Anna’s senses were heightened; sounds seemed louder and her vision seemed sharper, not to mention her heart was beating so loud and hard she was sure everyone could hear it from miles away.

The complex was quiet for the most part, everyone was ordered to be in their dormitories at exactly 9:00, so the only sounds to be heard was the occasional conversations of soldiers or the wheels of the military trucks driving through the lot. They had to duck behind buildings and other trucks several times to avoid being caught, Kristoff guiding them the whole time.

After what seemed like an eternity, they made it to the front gates, ducking behind one last military van. Two guards were patrolling the fence, guns in tow. They scanned the perimeter, but never strayed too far, always coming back to the exact spot Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff needed to get to; the gates.

“What are we going to do?” Anna whispered, turning to look at Elsa.

Kristoff answered for her. “Elsa, you and I will jump them from behind. They should have keys in their pockets.”

Elsa nodded. “Alright.”

Anna frowned. “What about me?”

“You wait here,” Elsa and Kristoff said together, taking off.

Anna scowled and folded her arms over her chest. She just wanted to help, and they weren’t even giving her a chance!

She watched as Elsa and Kristoff snuck up on the guards. They were silent and swift, jumping up from behind and placing their hands over the soldiers’ noses and mouths. Her stomach churned as she watched the guards squirm, trying to fight back, their shouts for help easily muffled, before slowly crumpling to the ground, motionless. Kristoff nodded to Elsa, and they knelt down, examining the bodies.

“Are they dead?” Anna whispered, rushing over.

“No, just knocked out,” Elsa muttered, rummaging through the man’s coat.

“We’ve got to hurry,” Kristoff whispered, looking over his shoulder. “New soldiers could be coming any minute, and these ones won’t stay knocked out for long.”

“Got it!” Elsa whispered. She extracted a small silver key from the breast pocket and tossed it to Kristoff, who unlocked the gate with ease.

“Everyone ready?” He asked, turning to look at the sisters as he pushed the gates open.

They nodded.

Elsa held her sister’s hand. “Stay close to me,” She whispered.

Anna smiled gently, leaning closer to Elsa. As much as she hated being babied by her sister, now that they were about to face the world, she wanted them to stick together. “Let’s go.”

And with that, they ran, through the gates, past the fence, out of the complex, and onto the dark city streets. The air felt somehow muggier out here, like it hadn’t been disturbed for quite some time. They ran until they got about a half mile away from the school, where Kristoff said they could walk, as long as they were quick.

Everything looked so much different than Anna remembered. Skyscrapers were now broken and crumbling, covered in moss and vines. Actually, grass seemed to cover everything. Plants were growing right out of the pavement and buildings; vines were wrapping around benches, bursting through windows, climbing out of the radiators of crashed cars. It was all so surreal; like something out of a dream.

“What happened here?” Anna whispered.

Kristoff shrugged. “Once people stopped taking care of everything, nature took over.”

Elsa smiled gently. “It’s kind of pretty, in a weird way.”

Anna nodded, looking up at the city in awe. But while the plant life was intriguing, it couldn’t cover up the disaster that lurked underneath. The buildings were all dark and empty. Barricades of cars and taxis were scattered all over the sidewalks. A burnt, crumpled American flag still hung from the flagpole outside the old bank. Debris from buildings, cars, and who knows what else blanketed the street, making it tricky to navigate. Seeing the world destroyed wasn’t even the worse part; thinking about all the tragedy that had caused it was. Just being back in the city made her remember those first days of the outbreak; when all hell had broken loose. They were so young, and yet they’d lost so much.

Anna tripped over a small crevasse in the pavement, landing on her knees. “Ow!” She gasped, pulling out a large piece of shrapnel from her skin. The blood spurted out and down her leg, making her eyes widen.

“Watch your step,” Kristoff muttered, kicking some debris out of their way.

Anna scowled, but wasn’t able to hold back a wince of pain. “Thanks.”

“Come on,” Elsa said, pulling her up by her hand. “We’ll get you fixed up once we get to the bridge. You can do it, alright?”

Anna nodded shakily, trying to ignore how badly it was starting to sting. “A-all right.”

Kristoff sighed, scanning Anna over like he always did when he was wanting to say something critical to her. “Just…be careful,” he muttered instead, his voice strangely soft on the last note. “It’s not safe out here, and we’ve got to keep an eye out for clickers. We all heard what those soldiers on the roof-”

And then, an alarm.

A siren went off in the distance, a little less than a mile away. It echoed right through the city; loud, blaring, and urgent - originating right from…

“The school!” Elsa gasped, her eyes widening in alarm.

Anna felt her body go cold. “W-what does it mean!?”

“Shit!” Kristoff exclaimed, breaking off into a run. “They know we’ve escaped! We’ve gotta go, NOW!”

“Come on, Anna!” Elsa cried, pulling her sister down the street.

The alarm sent chills into her spine, and the once beautiful yet eerie city now just looked like a maze of darkness, cars, plants to tangle your legs in, and dead ends for you to get stuck in. The sirens of military trucks followed behind as the trio took off down the city streets, running for their lives. Anna tried to go as fast as she could, but her knee was making things difficult. Every step, jump, and leap sent shockwaves up her calves. Thankfully, it wasn’t too hard to ignore it, as she was focused solely on getting to safety.

The sirens grew in number and volume as more soldiers were alerted to the escape. Anna could only imagine what it was like back at the camp. They’d force everyone out of bed, out into the lot, and one-by-one take roll call until they found out the inevitable truth.

If they didn’t make it out, they’d be shot for sure. Leaving the school, putting everyone else at risk, disobeying direct orders from the law; all combined it was the worst crimes you could commit, other than getting bit. Anna did her best to keep up, clutching onto Elsa’s hand so hard she was surprised it hadn’t ripped off. The sirens got louder and louder, until headlights started flashing down the streets. Anna glanced over her shoulder, her eyes widening in horror as she saw a fleet of military trucks flying down the street behind them. The lights scanned the road before focusing right on them, illuminating them as targets. Anna glanced around for a place for them to hide, but there was none. Any place they went, the military would easily spot them, and by now, they’d made it to the heart of the city, where it was all parks and open spaces.

“Where do we go?!” Anna yelped, looking to Kristoff and Elsa for help.

“Down!” Kristoff snapped, stopping to bend over and yank a manhole cover away from the ground.

“But there’s clickers down there!” Elsa yelped, sounding delirious.

Kristoff glared at her. “And the military’s up here - take your pick!” He jumped into the hole, disappearing into the dark.

Anna looked between the manhole, Elsa, and the trucks; the sound of screeching tires screaming in her ears. “Elsa!?”

Elsa groaned, glancing down into the sewers. “Fuck it,” she muttered, jumping in after Kristoff.

As much as Anna wanted to go anywhere other than a dark, creepy, infected sewer system, she knew it was either that or being shot on sight.

The sewer won out.

She jumped in after them, pleased to see that she landed on her feet for once, though rather hard. “Dammit,” she groaned, rubbing her throbbing knee. She looked up to see Elsa and Kristoff pressed against the dark brick wall, beckoning her over rapidly.

“You okay?” Elsa whispered, brushing Anna’s hair out of her eyes as she ran over.

“I think so,” Anna said, still feeling a little shaky.

She pressed herself up against the wall too, not able to look up at the night sky that shone through the hole above. They heard cars drive up, stop, voices, until at last someone kicked the manhole back into the ground, leaving the group in pitch-black darkness. Anna only relaxed when they heard the trucks drive past overhead.

They were safe…for now.

“They shouldn’t follow us in here,” Kristoff said, cautiously moving away from the wall, “They know how bad it is down here.”

“I thought we were going to take the alleys?!” Anna snapped. “Why are we down here where the infected are supposed to be!?”

“Keep it down!” Kristoff whispered, getting out his flashlight. “They’re attracted to noise, not to mention that fucking siren was no help. We’ve got to be careful.”

Elsa nodded, getting out a pistol. “We’ll be okay Anna,” Elsa assured, though Anna knew by her eyes that she was still frightened. “We’ve just got to stick together, and we’ll make it.”

Anna sighed nervously, getting out her own flashlight. She had obviously never been in a sewer system before, but it was just like how she’d expected; dark, dingy, and drenched in a horrid smell of waste and decay. The fact that clickers were hiding down here didn’t make it any better.

Her heart seemed to be in an everlasting hyper-active state as they made their way through. The water that used to flow through the city was now mostly dried up, except for a few deep parts they had to wade through.

“This is disgusting,” Elsa muttered, shaking off the brown, green-ish water as they made it to another tunnel.

“Well, it is a sewer,” Kristoff reminded them, though he himself look repulsed by it all. “One that hasn’t been kept up with for 13 years. Most of this is just rain water and…other stuff.”

Anna stuck out her tongue, trying not to gag. “Gross.”

They trudged on, Kristoff following the faded paint on the walls as a guide. The air around them was hot and wet, and she kept having to push her bangs back, trying to stop them from getting stuck to her forehead with sweat. Anna couldn’t even begin to stomach how awful it smelt down here, either. Sewers on their own must have smelt bad enough, let alone ones that had dead and decaying clicker bodies lying around.

“W-what is that!?” she’d gasped upon discovering the first one.

Kristoff had said the bloaters were the most disgusting, but Anna couldn’t see how anything could be worse than the clicker before her. It had a human body, but its skin was a sickly white, covered in fungi and even some dead plants. The head was completely split down the middle, a large fungus growing right from its brain and onto the rest of its body. Dried mucus was stuck to the remains of its teeth, and their jaws were hung open in a final, agonized cry.

“Oh my god,” Elsa muttered, taking a step back.

“It’s dead,” Kristoff said, digging in his backpack. “Here, take these.” He handed the girls each a gas mask and slipped on his own. “I stole them from the military truck before we left.”

Anna examined the object carefully. “What are these for?”

“Spores,” Kristoff explained, his voice sounding muffled and odd behind his mask. “They’re from the bodies of the infected, if you breathe them in, they’ll infect you.”

“Put it on,” Elsa instructed, eyeing the dead clicker body.

Anna did so quickly.

“Is everyone okay?” Kristoff asked, kicking the body out of their path of travel.

Anna snorted. “Other than being completely grossed out, yeah, we’re _totally_  fine.”

He didn’t seem to enjoy her sarcasm. “Then let’s keep moving,” he said, with what Anna could only imagine was a roll of his eyes behind the mask he was wearing.

The sewers were quiet in the most uncomfortable way possible. All that could be heard was their own ragged breathing and the water that dripped down the walls, landing onto the concrete beneath their feet with a harsh ‘ _plink.’_

She could now see what Kristoff had meant by the spores; the air around them was growing thick with a sort of green, hazy mist, emanating out of the dead bodies Anna tried not to look at.

Every dead clicker looked more disgusting than the last. If this was how bad they were dead, Anna didn’t want to see them alive. Thankfully, they hadn’t come across any live ones yet, but that didn’t stop Anna from looking over her shoulder and glancing down waterways, looking for any signs of infected.

“H-how much further?” She whispered to Kristoff, holding onto Elsa’s hand with white knuckles.

He examined the sewer wall, trying to read the faded markings it once bore. “By the looks of it, we’re only about 20 blocks away,” he muttered. “If we continue down this tunnel we should be out within a half hour, tops.”

Elsa breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, because I can’t wait to get out of-”

She was quickly cut off by a loud croak, and her own scream, as a clicker pounced on her from the darkness, pinning her against the wall and lunging for her throat.

“ELSA!” Anna screeched, reaching for her gun.

Elsa screamed for help, doing whatever she could to get the large clicker off her. “ANNA!”

Kristoff quickly loaded his rifle. “Stay back!” He shouted to Anna, and fired off two shots that echoed throughout the sewers. The clicker fell dead to the ground, ruby blood spilling from its head and onto the ground, leaving Elsa terrified but unharmed.

“Are you okay?!” Anna exclaimed, running over to her and throwing her arms around her neck.

“I-it didn’t bite me,” Elsa stammered, her face pale.

Anna opened her mouth to tell her that she was so glad she was safe, but was interrupted by a horrible, chilling sound.

Thousands of screams, croaks, and screeches echoed throughout the entire sewer system, bouncing off walls, shaking their eardrums numb, getting louder and louder in verbatim; heading right towards them.

_Clickers._

“They heard us!” Kristoff gasped, still aiming his rifle. “We’re going to get fucking ambushed!”

“RUN!” Elsa exclaimed, grabbing Anna’s hand and taking off.

It was one thing to navigate sewers in the dark, it was another to run through them, completely lost, with a horde of clickers behind you. They came at them from all sides, emerging from tunnels, jumping down from above, crawling out of dark corners. Before long, there was a sea of them, rushing towards the trio at lightning speed. Their croaks and clicks echoed down the passageways, calling out to each other and marking their prey. The smell of death hung over them like a dark cloud, and Anna kept telling herself not to look back, to keep  _moving_ , and to not be afraid.

Kristoff tried firing off at a few with his shotgun, but it was no use, the swarm only grew bigger and their shrieks angrier. “Damn it!” He scowled, tossing his empty gun behind him.

“There!” Anna gasped, pointing ahead to a ladder that led up and out of the sewers. “We can escape!”

“THEN COME ON!” Kristoff yelled, pushing the sisters in front of him. “We’re only a few feet away!”

Anna ran as fast as she could, but her knee was still throbbing and bleeding from the shrapnel wound. It didn’t hold out for long. “NO!” She yelped, falling to the ground in pain, incapable of running any faster. She crawled as quick;y as she could, but she knew she was a goner; the sound of the infected running was getting louder and louder, pounding towards her like a train about to crush her to pieces.

“ANNA!” Elsa gasped, running back over to her and lifting her off the ground.

“I’ll only slow you down!” Anna wailed, trying to move away. “I keep getting hurt!”

“I’m NOT leaving you here!” Elsa barked, dragging her towards the ladder. “Now come on, let’s  _MOVE!”_

“Hurry up!” Kristoff exclaimed, helping them up the ladder.

The infected surged around the bottom of the ladder, clawing at Kristoff’s feet as they all scrambled up as fast as they could.

“Don’t look down!” Elsa called out to Anna.

“Go, go,  _GO!”_ Kristoff exclaimed, his fear not masked in his voice.

Using all her strength, Anna pushed the manhole up and out of the way, scrambling through and onto to the dark, empty street. She threw herself onto the pavement, clutching at her heart and trying to calm herself.

Elsa and Kristoff followed close behind, falling onto the ground and gasping for air. Kristoff slammed the manhole back into the ground, sealing the infected off. The sounds of hundreds of them clawing at the metal disc echoed below, their agonized croaks sending chills down Anna’s spine.

He stood up slowly, eyeing the manhole as if it was about to burst. When it didn’t, he sighed in relief. “Well…that happened.”

“K-kristoff!?” Anna whispered, her voice strung high in fear. She pointed to a lone clicker hand crawling on the ground, having been severed when the manhole had been put back in place.

Elsa gasped, scrambling off the ground and running to stand in front of Anna.

Kristoff scowled in disgust, stomping on the hand and crushing its bones in one blow. “I fucking hate those things,” he muttered, glaring at the sewer.

Anna nodded shakily, still in shock. They’d actually made it through a sewer full of a thousand clickers, probably more. Maybe they really could do this. She turned to look at her watch. “I-It’s 12:15,” she whispered, looking at Elsa and Kristoff.

“That doesn’t give us much time,” Elsa griped, checking Anna over for bites and cuts.

“We’ve got to keep moving,” Kristoff instructed, digging in his backpack for a new pistol. “You girls okay?”

Anna nodded. “I didn’t get bit.”

Elsa smiled, looking reassured. “Neither did I.”

Kristoff loaded his weapon. “Good, then let’s go.”

The alleys were a lot less threatening than the sewer had been, but the sirens of the trucks still echoed throughout the city, though farther off than before.

“They’re probably going to increase security at the border,” Elsa muttered as they crossed the rooftop of a strip mall. “Just in case.” The bridge was in their sights now, less than a mile away. The sirens were getting louder, and more shouts of soldiers could be faintly detected as they got closer and closer.

“You’re probably right,” Kristoff said under his breath, looking frustrated.

“We’ll sneak past them,” Anna reassured, though she wasn’t entirely sure herself. “We just have to stick together, like you said, Elsa.”

Elsa smiled grimly at her, her face already worn with the toils of the night. “Just like I said.”

They finally made it to the roof of the old warehouse that looked over the city bridge, as well as the fence. They crouched to their knees, scanning the scene and taking it all in. Tall, looming lights lit up the border at 30-foot intervals, revealing the guards that stood watch. Trucks drove past, seeming to be driving up and down the entire perimeter.

“We have direct orders from the general!” One man wearing a soldier’s uniform called out to the others. “These convicts stole from, and disobeyed Class 1 personnel, and therefore are to be shot on sight!”

Anna held her breath, her heart hammering in her throat.  _They’re talking about us._

The bright, silver moon shimmered on the river; Anna could see it from here. They were so _close;_ they just had to get past this obstacle and they’d be free; free to run and change their lives, free to plot their own futures.“What do we do?” She whispered, not looking away from the bridge.

Kristoff pointed. “There’s an opening there,” he whispered, gesturing to an area with few light-posts around it, thus shrouded in darkness. “No guard either. If we just wait for that truck to roll by, we can climb up. We’ll have to be quick though.”

Anna bit her lip, her heart rate spiking again. “Is this the only option?”

He nodded. “I don’t like it either, but it’s what needs to be done.”

Elsa took a deep breath. “Come on.”

They used the fire escape ladder to move down the side of the warehouse, making sure to move slowly and quietly, as to not draw attention to themselves. When their feet hit the pavement, they ducked behind an old, crashed car, waiting for the truck to pass by.

Anna kept closing her eyes, counting to 10, trying to do anything to calm their nerves. They were almost there, and yet, all she felt was dread. And when the truck finally drove past again, she didn’t feel relieved, nor did she want to move. Either way, she didn’t have a choice; it was time.

Double-checking one last time, Kristoff dashed forward, leading the girls to the fence. It was big, at least 25 feet tall, maybe more. “Come on!” He whispered, helping them up with shaking hands.

Anna intertwined her fingers with the chain link metal, grasping onto it tightly. Her knee still stung painfully, but she started moving, not stopping to focus on the pain.

Her heart rate was through the roof, and she kept slipping because of her sweaty palms. Her arms ached by the time they were near the top, she almost felt like she was going to fall at some points, but Elsa was always right there to help her, quietly encouraging her, pushing her on, telling her she was almost there.

“We’re doing good,” Kristoff muttered, his voice strained as he boosted himself over the top and onto the other side. “Just keep moving.”

Elsa helped Anna over, making sure she had a good hold before they made their way back down. The grass and dirt was getting closer and closer, and Anna slowly started to feel less nervous.  _They were almost there!_

And suddenly…

“THE CONVICTS!” A soldier shouted.

Before Anna had time to think, lights blinded her from all sides. The military truck pulled up, and men rushed out, guns in hand.   
  
“JUMP!” Kristoff shouted, letting go of his hold.

Anna fell, landing painfully on her knee and crying out in pain.   
  
“Come on!” Elsa exclaimed, landing beside Anna and helping her up. They ran across the field, towards the bridge, Anna’s leg hurting so bad she thought she would break it. The sirens were going off again, this time even louder than before. Kristoff took the lead, yelling for the girls to stay on his tail. Lights swept across the field, shining directly on the trio.

“FIRE!”

Gunshots sprayed across the field; one was so close Anna felt the rush of air it left behind as it zipped past her head. The smell of gunpowder and smoke was thick in the air, and the flashes of machine guns lit up the night. There were so many and so loud, Anna could barely think. They just had to get to the bridge, just to the bridge and they’d be safe!

She closed her eyes and ran; ran as fast as she could, ran until her body was screaming in pain but her mind was telling her to not stop, to keep moving, to  _run. They were going to make it._

And then, one final shot. One was all it took.

Anna faintly heard Elsa cry out in pain, felt her let go, saw her fall to the ground, and watched her roll down the remainder of the hill, landing at the foot of the bridge.

“ELSA!?” Anna shrieked, running to her sisters side, her heart wild.

Elsa grunted, slowly raising herself onto her elbows. She looked down, eyes wide as she brought her fingers to swirl in the bright blood pouring out of the gunshot wound in her gut, staining her shirt red. “N-no,” she whispered, her voice cracking. She turned to look up at her sister; eyes filling with tears. But before she could speak, she let out another whimper of pain, falling back into the ground with a hard thud.

“N-No!” Anna gasped, cradling her sister’s head. “Come on, Elsa!” We’ll get you out of here! Just try to stand up! Come on!”

Elsa shook her head, gently reaching up to cradle her sister’s cheek, her eyes soft but desolate. “I-I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice growing fainter and fainter. “I’m so s-sorry…”

Kristoff ran up to the pair, his eyes wide in horror. “ELSA?! …O-oh my God.”

Elsa moved her head to look at him, her eyelids starting to flutter. “T-take care of my sister,” she whispered, her voice stern despite the circumstance.

Anna sobbed, her tears pouring down her face. “N-NO! Elsa, come on, you can do this! We made it! We have to get the cure and then you can get better and-”

“Anna!” Elsa cut her off, looking into her eyes desperately. “P-please. Survive. F-for me. I…I love you.”

And with one last, shuddering breath, her eyes fluttered close, her heart stopped, and her body fell limp.

“ _NO!”_ Anna shrieked, falling over her sister’s body. “ _ELSA!”_

“There’s still two more!” One soldier yelled from someplace far off, and the gunshots flew.

“Anna, we have to get out of here!” Kristoff said frantically. He sounded like he was holding back tears.

“NO!” Anna sobbed, gripping onto Elsa’s clothes, hair, face. “SHE’S MY SISTER! I can’t leave her!”

Kristoff pried Anna away from Elsa’s body, swinging her over his shoulder. “I’m not going to let her death be in vain!” He exclaimed, gripping onto her.

Anna sobbed harder, not able to tear her eyes away from Elsa. “ELSA!!!!”

The soldiers ran towards them down the hill, firing more shots. Kristoff ran, taking off down the bridge faster than he’d ever ran before.

Anna watched her sister’s image slowly get further and further away, her own body thrashing. “THAT WAS MY SISTER YOU BASTARDS!” She screamed, her vision blurry with tears. She wailed, feeling no comfort when Kristoff brought a gentle hand to her back. Instead she just wept so hard she felt her heart was going to shatter.

She whispered it again, her throat thick with her cries.  _“That was my sister.”_


	7. The Silver Lining

**S** he could hear Kristoff walking over before he even arrived. His footsteps were slow and wary, as if he was hesitant about coming over to her, as he should be. Anna felt herself tense as he placed his hand on her shoulder, lightly, but enough for her to notice. “It’s ready.”

Anna just nodded, unable to look at him. She didn’t want him to see how red her eyes were after a night’s worth of crying (though he had to have heard her). Slowly and shakily, she stood up from the large rock she’d been sitting on as she stared straight ahead into the trees, listening to Kristoff work. It’d felt like hours, and yet even that wasn’t enough time.

“How’s your leg?” Kristoff asked, looking down to the gauze he’d wrapped around it this morning.

“Can we just go?” She muttered, to which he nodded, and led her out of the clearing.

They walked together through the woods, over to the spot by the river he’d found. A tiny, dug up patch of earth was now lying beside the river bank, with a small grey rock serving as a headstone. Kristoff had carved a small “E” into the stone with his pocketknife; it was nothing elegant, but it would do.

Anna sighed, eyeing the grave with empty eyes. The river water rushed by, misting the air around her and dampening her cheeks. The air smelt of moss and sky and old water, and the crickets chirped softly, their nighttime lullabies only soothing her slightly.

Elsa had always liked the river, just as Anna did. When they were young they’d bike down to the one a little more than a mile away from their home, and spend the whole day enjoying the water. Anna loved it for the thrill of playing in the rapids, but Elsa had always found pleasure in looking for flowers to press into her scrapbook. They’d help each other too; Anna would look for flowers, and Elsa would help her try to fish using a stick, string, and an earthworm. They never did catch anything though. They’d make a picnic and eat on the dock, their toes trailing through the water and their mouths full of the taste of sweet chocolate popsicles.

This seemed like an appropriate spot.

There was obviously no body to bury, so Anna had plucked one of the snowflake charms off her bracelet and shoved it into Kristoff’s hand without a word. It was the only thing she had left of her sister, after all. Anna had half expected him to mock her for wanting to bury a charm, but to her surprise, he’d just nodded, and let her be. Now he stood beside her, eyeing her cautiously as she moved forward.

Anna knelt before her sister’s grave, the tears flowing down her cheeks. She was silent for a long period of time, trying to collect her thoughts as she listened to the river and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. She didn’t know what to say or where to begin; she just kept telling herself that this wasn’t happening, that Elsa would come running to them from the trees and tell them it was all some big mistake, and that she was okay. That they’d cry and hug and Anna would get to see her smile again, to feel her warm embrace and her beating heart. What she’d give just to hear her sister’s voice again, encouraging her, singing to her, laughing with her,  _loving_ her.

“I need you Elsa,” Anna finally whispered, her heart growing heavier with every word. “I always have. You w-were  _always_ there for me and…i-it isn’t fair! Y-you said you would do a-anything for me to be safe but the price shouldn’t have been your  _d-death!”_

She completely broke down on the last word, crumpling to the ground and sobbing her eyes out. All it’d taken was one shot and the blink of an eye, and the only family member she had left was ripped away, never to be seen again. Anna cried harder, gripping onto the grass with white knuckles. “O-Oh Elsa…I m-miss you s-so much! I loved you!”

She bawled and sobbed and wailed until her eyes were dry and her chest ached. The wet earth seeped through her clothes, its scent masking the one of her sister’s hair that Anna still could remember. She wanted to curl up into a ball and never wake up again, to never have to feel what she was feeling now ever again, to just drift away and go to  _her_ , but she knew it was a foolish hope. And hopes were for fools, for people who actually believed things could get better when in reality they only got worse. This she now knew, and while it made her misery worse, she also found a bitter comfort in it too. She just wanted to forget, but Kristoff brought her crashing back down to earth; mumbling that she needed to get up.

“Come on,” he said, standing over her. “It’s getting dark.”

Anna sniffled and sniveled, rubbing her eyes frantically. She didn’t want to move, but she was getting cold, so she did as she was told, rising to take the wildflower he handed to her and gingerly place it over the grave. “Goodbye,” she whispered.

And that was that.

Kristoff looked as if he didn’t know what to do. Anna could tell by one glance into his eyes that he didn’t know what to say, or if he should say anything at all, or if he should touch her. Anna honestly didn’t care. She didn’t want anything from him, anyway. She just wanted to be alone. On her rock. Thus, she walked back to said rock, and sat down, hugging herself and staring at the ground.

Kristoff stayed by the river, looking at the grave forlornly. He hadn’t spoken much of Elsa; only to tell Anna that he was sorry for her loss. Anna wondered if he even really cared. She bent over, hanging her head between her knees and fighting back the sobs.

After some time, Kristoff came back over, walking over to the fire pit he’d asked to her set up while he made the grave. She heard him sigh as he examined it, shuffling the dirt with his foot. “Did you start the fire?” He asked, though they both knew the real question was why she hadn’t.

“Does it look like I did?” Anna snapped, keeping her back turned to him.

“I asked you to do it,” he said, voice laden with both hesitation and irritation. “I know you’re still mourning, but Elsa wouldn’t want you to get too cold or hun-”

“Don’t you  _dare_ say what she would have wanted!” Anna scowled, turning to glare at him. “You didn’t know her, not like I did.”

“I still knew her!” Kristoff protested, his brow furrowing. “And I miss her too Anna, don’t doubt that. But I’m going to honor her wishes! She wanted you safe and-”

“And WHAT?!” Anna exclaimed. “We never should have left the zone! I would rather be in a prison with my sister than alone and free!”

“You can’t spend your time living in the past!” Kristoff’s voice was becoming firmer and more angry, but still controlled. “If you do, you’ll never be able to move on! I know it’s hard but you have to accept her death!”

Anna stood up quickly, ignoring her knee’s sting of protest as her eyes began to tear up. “This was  _your_  idea! Elsa never would have wanted to escape if she hadn’t talked to you! If it wasn’t for you she’d still be alive!”

“So this is MY fault!?” Kristoff scoffed, the disbelief rich in his tone.

“YOU played a part in it!”

“I didn’t kill her! You can’t blame it on me!”   
  
“Well, too bad I do!”

“You’re acting insane! You just need to calm down and-”

“SHUT UP!” Anna yelled through her tears, balling her fists. “JUST SHUT UP! You have no right to tell me what to do! You’ve never lost ANYONE!”

“I’VE LOST EVERYONE!” Kristoff roared, his voice so loud and menacing Anna felt her heart stop. His eyes were dark, and he glared at her with the harshest fury she’d ever seen.

Seeing her fear however, he seemed to take a step back, his eyes falling to the ground. His body contracted, and he looked away, his voice lower and more bitter this time. “Everyone, gone. My mother, my father…all because of me. It’s  _my_  fault and now it’s happening all over again and I just-” his voice broke, and for a moment he seemed to forget Anna was even there. The painful memories flashed across his sullen eyes, and his head lowered, as if in deep regret.

Anna frowned, blinking her tears away. “W-what are you talking about?” She asked, anger being replaced with confusion and slight trepidation.

But as if she’d flipped a switch, he stood up straighter; folding his arms and going back into his shell of solitude. “N-nothing.”

“N-no!” She sniffed, folding her own arms. “Tell me! What did you do?”

“It’s none of your Goddamn business,” he scowled.

“Considering we’re going to be spending the next year together I think it is!”

“No. It. Isn’t.” His was voice cold and unfeeling, just like his demeanor. He turned his back to her, kneeling down to light the fire himself. “Now go get some sleep. We leave in the morning.”

Anna looked at her feet. The tips of her shoes were still stained brown from kneeling in her sister’s blood the night before, before Kristoff had pulled her away. “Sure, whatever.”

He gave no reply; focusing his attention only on the lighter in his hand and the pile of sticks in front of him.

_What an ass,_ Anna muttered mentally, going over to lie down in the grass. If Elsa was here, she would have found some way to come between them before they’d even started fighting. She would be sitting down next to Anna, watching over her and keeping her safe as she drifted off to sleep. She’d tell her not to worry about Kristoff, that men were stubborn like that, and it was best not to try and confront them. Maybe she’d sing a lullaby to her, stroke her hair, and point out the stars to her.

Anna looked up to the heavens as her eyes began to close. Out here in the woods, she could see the stars more clearly than she ever had before. Thousands of little, twinkling diamonds tucked into black velvet; so beautiful and yet so far away. She smiled softly as she pictured Elsa up there, dancing with the constellations and making ones of her own, creating beauty and wonder with every touch. Free of worries, free to be herself. Free to dream and laugh and sing as she flew past nebulas and constellations that all shone for her. Maybe she’d even be with their Mother and Father.

A lone tear trailed down Anna’s cheek as she closed her eyes, holding onto the thought with everything she had in her.

It was the only foolish hope she had left.

☳☳☳

 When she awoke, Anna didn’t feel much better. It was as if she had awoken from a drunken slumber; yes, she was sober, but the loss of her sister still plagued her like any other hangover.

She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, taking in the warm summer morning. Surrounded by all these trees, the air felt fresh and clean, and the earth beneath her was soft and wet. Everything felt so natural and comforting. Anna realized that being in the forest wasn’t that bad at all, she just wished she didn’t feel so lonely.

Anna just tried to remember what Kristoff had told her, even if she was still a little mad at him. Despite what her emotions had told her yesterday, she couldn’t let Elsa’s death be in vain. She had to be strong for her, and for herself.

Anna took in a deep breath, telling herself today would be better.  _You can do it, you can survive._

Anna was only slightly surprised to hear Kristoff moving around, packing up their things. It couldn’t have been any later than 7 am, and when she’d fallen asleep he’d still been awake. “Did you even sleep?” She mumbled, skipping the ‘good mornings’ and eyeing him as he moved around.

“Of course I did,” He answered dismissively. He quickly dug through his backpack and tossed over a granola bar, the kind they used to have back in the zone. “Eat,” he demanded. “We got to get moving.”

Anna picked up the bar eagerly, suddenly realizing how hungry she was. She hadn’t eaten anything yesterday, she’d been too upset. “To Salt Lake?” She asked, mouth full of the crunchy sweetness.

He glanced over at her, eyeing her eating style with disdain. “Yes…I would like to get there before winter, if we can.”

Anna swallowed and wiped the crumbs off her chin. “Before  _winter?!_  You really think it’ll take that long?”

“Well, it’s a little over 2,200 miles worth of distance, and we are hiking on foot, if you haven’t noticed.”

Anna rolled her eyes. “Well, I didn’t before, but now that you bring it up, I suddenly do.”

He doused the last bit of coals, sending wood-burned smoke into the forest air. “Then we’re finally on the same page.”

☳☳☳

A few weeks went by as Anna and Kristoff trekked through the vast woods, camping out in small clearings or the rare cabins they found. They hadn’t seen any clickers yet, only a few rotted corpses inside the occasional cave. Kristoff had mentioned that their hometown was known for having one of the strictest quarantines. Not too many people would be hanging around, which was for the best. Of course, that didn’t mean infected couldn’t be; after all, they didn’t exactly have any strategy skills other than eat, kill, and run.

Despite the chip she still bore on her shoulder, Anna couldn’t help but marvel the beauty of the forest. Tall, looming oak trees cast green shadows along the forest floor, beautiful wildflowers growing around their roots. The evergreen trees filled the air with their sharp scent, and the birds overhead flew, singing their evening melodies. Frogs croaked beside the banks and woodpeckers’ clicks sprung off trees; their soft sounds peaceful compared to those of the infected.

“I haven’t been out in the woods in forever,” Anna mused as they walked alongside a small stream. “Not since I was a kid.”

“Same for me,” Kristoff replied. He was walking a few feet ahead of her; guiding them

down the hiking trail they’d found. “I used to go camping all the time.”

Anna looked over at him. “Really? So did we! My family would rent this big camper and-”

He scoffed. “That’s not camping.”

She frowned. “Yes it is! Just because we weren’t sleeping in caves or something doesn’t mean we weren’t camping!”

“You don’t need a cave,” he snorted, “But hell, I guess you’re doing it now.”

Anna couldn’t bring herself to smile. “Can we stop to eat soon?” She asked, looking down at her stomach. “I’m starving. We haven’t eaten anything in hours-”

“I told you, we don’t have much food left!” Kristoff said, sounding annoyed. “Why do you keep asking? We only had a few week’s worth to fit in our backpacks, with all the clothes, weapons, ammo, medical supplies, and gas masks we had to pack too. We need to ration whatever food we have left.”

“Or maybe we could eat what we have now so we don’t starve, then worry about getting more food later?!”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not being ridiculous! I’m hungry!”

“And I’m not?”

“If you were, you’d let me eat!”

“I’m not letting you finish off all we have left!”

“So you’ll let me starve?!”

“You’re not going to starve!”

“Yes I will!”

“Sure.”

She clenched her fists, breathing out through her nose. “Why are you always so…so…”

He snickered, finally turning to look at her. “So what?”

She narrowed her eyes. “So…STUPID!”

He rolled his eyes. “Cute. I’m keeping you alive and now I’m stupid.”

Anna put her hands on her hips, her lip curled in a scowl. “Yes, you are! And you’re rude too! If you just treated me like an adult for once-”

And then, she froze.

A glimmer, off in the woods behind Kristoff’s head, caught her eye. It was silver and sparkled in the sun, and while it only lasted for a second, she saw it clear as day. “What the-?”

“What?” Kristoff smirked. “Don’t tell me you’re finally realizing I’m right?”

“Not that, idiot,” Anna said, glaring at him. “I saw something.”

He looked where she had, peering into the thick cluster of trees. “I don’t see anything,” he said disbelievingly.

“I’m not making it up!” She exclaimed, pushing past him and walking in the direction of the glimmer. “It was silver and shiny!”

He sighed in annoyance, though still followed her. “Looks like you’ve finally lost it.”

Anna ignored him, running towards the trees with a determined glare. She ignored her sore leg, boldly pushed back branches, and kicked through bushes, feeling forward with her hands. The brush enveloped around her, blocking out the sounds of Kristoff, the woodpeckers, and the river. All she could see was a dark green mass of leaves and branches. For a moment she considered this might have not been a good idea, but she pushed forward, determined to show Kristoff she wasn’t crazy.

When she finally made it to the other side, she blinked in the bright light of the fading sun. But when she finally managed to take in the scene before her, she stopped, eyes wide.

“What the hell are you doing?” Kristoff snapped, bursting through the trees behind her. “You can’t just wander off into a bunch of trees where no one can see you!” What is this even-”

Anna cut him off by gripping his jaw and turning his head to make him look at the sight in front of them. “Look!”

A city, small but vast, was stretched out below them, at the bottom of the large hill they now stood on the top of. The old office buildings shimmered in the afternoon sun, their metal windows reflecting silver sun spots, just like the one Anna had seen through the trees. Unlike their home city, there was no fence, or military trucks, or soldiers on patrol. In fact, there was nothing at all. No cars or people to be heard, only the wind blowing through alleys and empty city streets. Barricades of cars scattered the edges of the town, but they looked long forgotten and abandoned, just like everything else.

Kristoff breathed out slowly. “Holy shit.”

“Did you know this was here?” Anna asked, pulling her hand away from his jaw and scanning the area. His stubble had tickled her palm, but she rubbed the feeling off on her thigh, not thinking much of it.

He dug out the map out of his back pocket. “It couldn’t have been a very large place, not to mention this map is pretty shitty. It only lists really populated towns.”

“Convenient,” Anna muttered.

“They started making these kinds after the outbreak, you know, to show where all the quarantine zones were.” Kristoff folded back up the map. “This place is too small to be one, plus looks pretty abandoned.”

“Maybe we could find food there!” Anna said wistfully, turning to look at him. “Right? This could solve our hunger!”

“It could also be one big clicker trap,” Kristoff muttered, his eyes narrowing skeptically. “But you’re right, we need food. We just need to be careful.” He got out his pistol and started off down the hill, towards the ominous city. “If we hurry we’ll make it there by sunset.”

Anna smirked, following close behind. “Don’t tell me you’re finally realizing I’m right?”

Kristoff laughed dismissively. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

 

 


	8. The Hunt

**U** nlike their hometown back in Connecticut, this new city hadn’t fallen to quite as much destruction and despair. The streets were clear of deep crevasses and shrapnel, though green plant life still shown through. The buildings stood firm and tall, and didn’t so much as teeter in the wind. The only real signs of the epidemic were the shattered store windows, the broken down cars, and the complete lack of people; without them, this city might have passed for normal.

Anna gripped her pocket knife tightly, feeling less sure of herself as they wandered the city streets. The city had looked like a Godsend from the top of the hill, but it was as if she had almost expected things to look worse than they did. It was far too perfect and far too quiet to be comfortable.

“Shouldn’t there be people here?” Anna whispered, looking down the shady streets. “Or even some clickers?”

Kristoff had his gun at the ready, looking even more on high-alert than she was. “I dunno…maybe everyone abandoned it for a quarantine zone. Either way, I don’t like it. It looked safer from the outside, but something seems…off.”

Anna nodded in agreement, looking suspicious. The city was far too orderly and clean for it to be completely empty; after all, back in the zone the city had been a mess, and that was _with_ a full-military staff. This city looked like it’d been upheld to a high honor of organization, even the busted cars on the sides of the street looked like they’d been put there on purpose. Her eyes narrowed further as she spotted spray-painted messages on the brick walls of old apartment buildings;  _No Escape, All is Lost,_ and  _Tourists Will Die._

“Tourists will die?” Anna frowned, eyeing the ominous red paint. “Guess this place wasn’t a big vacation spot, huh?”

Kristoff didn’t laugh, as usual. “That had to be put up after the outbreak, the paint isn’t that old.”

“So then what does it mean?”

He looked away. “I don’t know, but it can’t be good.”

Anna chewed on her lower lip, stepping closer to him. She really wished she had Elsa to hold her hand now; anything to soothe the nervousness rising in her, but she also knew there was no way in hell Kristoff would hold it instead.  _Not that she even wanted him to,_  she thought with a blush.

Anna reminded herself to focus and looked around the city streets, feeling partially embarrassed for being so spooked. Thankfully, her watchful efforts paid off, as no more than 200 feet away, she spotted a grocery store, it’s rusted neon sign glinting in the sunset.

“Hey!” Anna smiled, pointing down the street. “Look over there! It’s a grocery, maybe we can find some food!”

“Sounds good,” Kristoff said, sounding pleased. “I know we planned to stay the night here, but I don’t like the feel of this place. Let’s just get the food and get out.”

Anna nodded, walking beside him and towards the store. “Fine by me.”

They made it to the grocery quickly, where Kristoff used his pocketknife to break open the lock on the big industrial doors, granting them access. “C’mon,” he muttered, slipping inside. “Let’s make this quick.”

Anna slipped in after him, closing the doors behind. The store was a massive sight that brought her back to years lost long ago. When she was younger, she used to love going shopping with her mother; being around so many people and seeing so many things offered to her was intoxicating. Now, as she eyed the grey shelves, battered price signs, and rotted remains of food, her heart sunk in disappointment. Then again, what had she expected, a store full of food in all its pre-apocalyptic glory? 13 years was plenty of time for hungry travelers and hunters to come through here and pick it clean. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t give up. “Well, let’s get started!” She proclaimed, tucking her knife away and heading to where the fruit stands would have been. “We’re not leaving until we’ve searched the entire store.”

Kristoff nodded, though he looked increasingly doubtful. “Just keep your guard up.”

Anna started by the fruit, then the meat, then the boxed food, and then the canned. She threw open freezers, emptied boxes, and even dug through the piles of rotted food on the floor. The more empty packages she found, the more frantic she got, and while she tried to keep herself calm, she found herself practically throwing the empty containers across the store in frustration. Close to 30 minutes passed, and while she and Kristoff looked through every shelf, freezer, display, nook and cranny, it was all gone. Not a crumb of food remained.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Kristoff groaned, shoving an empty cereal box aside. He trudged back over to Anna, where the old check-out lanes stood. “Absolutely nothing. People cleaned this entire place out.”

“Well, there has to be food in other places.” Anna surmised, biting hard on her lower lip.“I mean, we have an entire town to look through. We’ll find food, I know it.” The words came out of her mouth, but there was only slight conviction behind them. She knew it, and so did he.

“Let’s hope so,” Kristoff muttered, heading back to the front doors. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I want to be out of this town before……what the hell?”

“What is it?” Anna asked, walking over to him. She peered out the window, eyes widening when she laid eyes upon what had caught his attention.

A man and a woman, not much older than themselves, were walking down the city street, peering at the buildings curiously. The sun was setting, which made the couple slightly hard to spot, but Anna still had a perfect view of them. Their faces were worn and dirty, and they grasped each other’s hands tightly. Tattered clothes adorned their bodies, and they held the stance of ones who had endured a long journey.

“People!” Anna gasped, leaning closer to the glass as her eyes lit up. “Actual, real, live people!”

“No shit,” Kristoff muttered, his eyes narrowing.

“Let’s go talk to them!” She smiled, going to the door. “Maybe they could help us!”

He grabbed her arm quickly, stopping her right in her tracks. “Stop! We don’t even know who they are, they could be dangerous!”

She scoffed. “Dangerous? They look like our age! And lost! We could work together! You’re not always right, you know! Not everyone is going to hurt us!”

He scowled. “Listen to me! It’s not a good idea!”

“How do you know that!?”

“It just isn’t!”

“Well, if you’re not going to help them, then I-”

The sound of a car engine cut her off immediately, and they turned to look out the window once again. A military truck turned the corner, it’s loud rumble far too familiar. It drove down the street quickly, heading right towards the strangers on the road.

Anna frowned. “What the-?”

“Get down!” Kristoff hissed, yanking her to the floor.

Kristoff and Anna peeked over the bottom edge of the window as the military truck pulled to a halt in front of the couple. Two burly men stepped out, their eyes dead set on the strangers. Anna noted the men weren’t in military uniforms, and her brow furrowed in confusion.  _What was going on?_

The couple stepped closer to the men, first looking grateful, but quickly changing to horror. Their hands raised in fear as the men pulled out guns that were aimed right at them.

“N-no, please!” The man pleaded, stepping in front of the woman. “W-we were just looking for some-”

“Shut the hell up!” One burly man barked, and with a brilliant spray of gunfire, the couple fell to the ground, dead.

_“Oh my god!”_  Anna gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. Her face was as white as a sheet, and she felt like she was going to be sick. “B-but they weren’t even doing anything w-wrong!”

“Stay quiet,” Kristoff whispered urgently, making her duck down again.

Anna whimpered, clutching onto the front of his jacket tightly. She didn’t want to look but she couldn’t look away. Even the military had reasons for their kill, no matter how petty they were. This was cold-blooded murder, and it shook her to the bone.

“Check the bodies!” One of the men ordered, and they both bent over, rummaging through the pockets and backpacks of the dead couple.

“Nothing,” one muttered, kicking the body aside. “The others won’t be happy about this. 3rd group of tourists to come through here this week, and we still didn’t get a fucking thing.”

“There’ll be more,” the other said, lifting the man’s body over his shoulder. “There always is. Now c’mon, let’s go dump these.”

They clambered back into their truck and took off into the blood-red sunset, leaving only the empty backpacks and pools of blood behind.

Anna was shaking violently, her knuckles white from clutching Kristoff’s jacket so tightly. “W-what was _that?!”_  She whispered, unable to get the image of the couple falling down dead out of her mind.

“Tourists will die,” Kristoff muttered, pulling away from her. “Great.”

“They said there were others!” She squeaked, turning to look at him. “What does that mean?!”

“It means this whole town is probably run by a gang of them. They hide out in cities and wait for people to rob and kill. I heard about them in the zone, I think people call them Hunters.”

Anna swallowed slowly, trying to stay calm. “So what are we going to do?! I-I don’t want to get shot!”

He readjusted his gun. “You won’t. We’re going to find some food and get out of this town.”

She didn’t look so sure, but she knew hiding in this empty store wouldn’t get them anywhere. “Alright,” she nodded, getting out her pocket knife again.

“Just stay by me,” Kristoff instructed, cautiously opening the store doors. They made their way back down the street, sticking to the shadowy parts of the towering apartment buildings. As they got further into the inner city, the buildings became more dilapidated. The clean, polished city entrance was only an illusion meant to draw them in; the deeper into the city they went, the more its true nature showed. More graffiti, dried blood pools, and bullet casings decorated the city like an omen of death.

Anna had felt nervous upon entering the town, but now all she could feel was pure dread. Those men had just attacked that couple without so much as a warning; what if it happened to them too? She closed her eyes tightly, trying to stop herself from flashing back to Elsa’s incident.

_Survive for me._ The words were still branded onto Anna’s heart; it was the reason she was still here, the reason she had to find food, the reason she was going to fight. They just couldn’t give up, no matter how hard it got.

“There’s another shop up the road,” Kristoff pointed out, interrupting her thoughts. “Let’s go check it out.”

Anna nodded, making herself focus. “Sure.”

This second store was small and antiquated, much different than the modern supercenter they’d just left. An old, wooden sign reading  _General Store_ hung above the door, smacking against the building with a repetitious rhythm. The sound made Anna jump and chide herself for glancing around for the military truck. “I can’t wait to get out of here,” she mumbled, approaching the store door.

Kristoff sighed. “Way ahead of you.”

Anna pushed open the door of the shop, jumping back in surprise when a rope tied to the inner door handle snapped loudly, sending a cement block that had been hanging from the ceiling swinging right out the storefront window. The glass shattered loudly and flew everywhere, while the cement block landed in a car windshield, making even more noise.

Anna glanced at Kristoff “What the-?” She took a few shaky steps back, unknowingly getting her foot tangled in a rope on the floor.

Kristoff looked at her foot, his eyes widening. “Anna, stop!”

She looked down in confusion, trying to tug her foot loose, but it was too late. With a scream, the rope contracted and she was yanked up into the air. Her knife fell out of her hands and plummeted to the ground below, leaving her even more frightened. The world was flipped upside down, and she grasped at the air as she swung wildly. “KRISTOFF!”

“Stop yelling!” He hissed, glancing out the window. “That cement block was an alarm! Those hunters will be on their way back here! Now I’m going to cut you down, just hold on.”

Anna closed her eyes, clenching her fists tight as the blood rushed to her head.  _Okay, don’t freak out, don’t get scared,_ she ordered herself.  _Everything’s going to be okay. Kristoff’s going to cut you down and you’ll be fine._

She listened to Kristoff as he rummaged through the shop, looking for the counterweight. “Where the hell is it?” She heard him mutter, trying to follow the trail of rope.

“Hurry up!” Anna demanded, starting to feel light-headed.

_“I am!”_  He snapped. “Here.” He knelt before an old soda machine, getting to work on cutting the rope tied around it.

Anna breathed a trembling sigh of relief, but she only had one moment of ease, as no less than 5 seconds later she heard the screech of tires outside the store door. “The trigger went off!” A man’s voice shouted. “They’re in here!”

Anna started thrashing, trying to break herself free.  _“K-kristoff!”_

“Stop squirming!” He scowled, cutting faster. “Get out your gun!”

Anna fumbled for her pistol, almost dropping it in her fright. “A-and then what!?”

_“Shoot them!”_

The two hunters kicked the door down, guns aimed and ready to fire, but when they entered the room, they seemed torn between shock and amusement to see Anna white as a sheet, dangling from the ceiling and desperately trying to aim her gun. “S-stay back!” She squeaked.

The bigger of the two laughed richly. “Well, well, well, what do we have here? Another couple of dumb ass touri-”

Anna squeezed her eyes shut, and fired up. The gunshot was loud and quick, and went straight into the ceiling, sending old drywall crashing down onto the hunters. At the same time, Kristoff cut her free, and she fell to the ground with a gasp of pain.

“You were supposed to shoot  _them!”_ Kristoff scowled, rushing over and scooping her off the floor.

“Stupid  _bitch!”_  One man growled, kicking the drywall off. “You’re going to pay for that!”

“Go, go,  _go!_ ” Anna exclaimed, scrambling out of Kristoff’s arms and breaking off into a run.

The men quickly recovered from the blow, scrambling onto their feet and firing off shots like crazy. “Fucking tourists!” One spat, his bullet barely missing Anna’s head.

Anna and Kristoff sprinted to the back of the store, dodging and ducking to avoid the men’s bullets. With a loud grunt, Kristoff kicked the store’s back door open, and they ran into the alley, slamming the door shut behind them.

“W-where do we go!?” Anna wailed, running her hands through her hair.

“Follow me!” Kristoff ordered, jumping through the broken window of the adjacent building.

Anna didn’t take so much as a glance over her shoulder before leaping after him. They found themselves in an old bookstore, half of which was blown to pieces. Thankfully, there were plenty of bookshelves to make up for the lack of walls, and they ducked behind them, trying to catch their breath.

They could hear more cars pulling up as the men exited the general store. “Tourists! They’re making a run for it!” One man shouted. “Male and female, easy targets.”

“Easy targets?” Anna muttered. “I almost knocked them out!”

“ _Almost_ ,” Kristoff scowled, looking around for an escape route. “Don’t get cocky.”

“Spread out!” A voice ordered, and the men took off in all directions. “We’re not stopping until we find them.”

Anna took a deep breath, flinching when she heard a man enter the bookstore. “Where the hell are you?” He hissed, as if he already knew they were in there. He walked towards the other side of the store, kicking old books and scattered papers aside.

Anna turned to Kristoff who instructed her to be silent via a finger to his lips. “Wait here,” he breathed, and he took off, crouching down low as he made his way to the hunter.

“ _Are you crazy!?”_  Anna wanted to shout, but she knew doing so would be suicide. So instead she peeked around the edge of the shelf, watching as Kristoff snuck up behind the man.

With one smooth motion, Kristoff lept up, grabbed the hunter’s neck, and snapped it hard. The man didn’t even have time to yell for help before crumpling over, his gun clattering to the dusty, wood-paneled floor.

Anna gulped, staring at Kristoff in shock. She’d seen him knock out those soldiers in the zone, and shoot the clickers in the sewer. But clickers weren’t the same as real people, even if said people were murderous and cruel. She self-consciously brought a hand to her own neck, rubbing it softly.

Kristoff saw her frightened look, and for a moment he looked almost guilty. However, the look came and went. “I’m not going to let them hurt us, okay?” He murmured, picking up the gun from the floor and slipping it into his backpack. “Now come on, we need to keep moving.”

Anna nodded shakily, scampering up from her spot and dashing over to him. “I’m just glad you’re on my team,” she murmured. “I wouldn’t want to be that other guy.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Of course.”

With Kristoff as guide, they made their way out the bookstore and through the city buildings, trying to avoid detection. But the town seemed to be peppered with hunters throughout. No matter how far they ran, where they hid, or what they did, the sounds of their taunting, insults, gunshots, and military vehicles followed. Trying to find their way out of here was even worse than trying to get out of the quarantine zone. While the military had been cold and demanding, these people were vicious, sadistic, and barbarous.

By the time it was dark, Anna and Kristoff had made their way to an old record shop; out of breath and dirty from crawling and ducking through so many buildings. They both flinched as they felt vibrations of the military trucks roll by, and groaned when they heard the hunters hooting and howling like a pack of rabid dogs inside it.

“I-I need to rest!” Anna panted, clutching at her side.

“We can’t rest until we’re safe,” Kristoff replied, looking over the display shelf of CDs and out the store window, half of which was missing.

“We’ll never be safe here!” Anna objected, closing her eyes as she tried to catch her breath. “These guys are insane! We’ve been at this for hours.”

“So, let’s just sit here and wait for them to find us, is that what you want?” Kristoff snapped.

“No! Of course not!”

“Then let’s focus on getting out of here, after that we can rest.”

Anna fought back a groan, rubbing her knee. “My leg is still healing.”

Kristoff muttered something that sounded like several curses, and turned to her. He glanced over his shoulder before pulling her closer, holding her leg carefully.

Anna felt her cheeks heat up. “W-what are you-?”

“I-I’m just looking at your knee!” He insisted, and Anna could practically feel the heat radiating off his cheeks. “Gotta make sure you’re not getting an infection. Now hold still.”

Anna sighed, trying to ignore how having his hands on her bare leg tickled a little, and how embarrassed she suddenly was of the fair hairs that adorned her calves. The fact that something as trivial as leg hair could still bother her also amused her to an extent. After all, here she was, in an abandoned, half-caved in record shop, bruised, cut, and tired, running for her life from a group of men who wanted her dead. Shaving wasn’t exactly something she could afford to have on mind at the moment.

“It’s scarring over,” Kristoff muttered, gently rubbing his thumb over it. “You should be fine.”

Anna frowned. “But it still hurts a little.”

“Well, we don’t exactly have any painkillers right now. What do you expect me to do, kiss it and make it better?”

Anna scowled, pulling her knee away from his touch. “That won’t be necessary.”

He opened his mouth, most likely to make yet  _another_ sarcastic comment, but stopped when he heard the truck drive by again, this time pulling to a stop. “Get down!” He whispered, lowering his head.

Anna ducked, growing frantic again.

“We can’t find them,” A man’s voice said. It sounded like he was standing right outside the store, and Anna was torn between fear and slight glee that they’d stayed hidden for so long.

“Oh, come  _on,”_ Another voice groaned. “They’re just a couple of fucking tourists. We’ll find them.”

“We better,” the other grumbled, kicking some broken glass aside. “There’s no way they’re getting out of here alive.”

There was the sound of a second car approaching, one that came screeching to a halt beside the other. “Another tourist!” Someone inside the car exclaimed. “Spotted entering town 10 minutes ago!”

The men seemed excited, as they clambered back into the truck, taking off down the street. “I’ve got a good feeling about this one,” one laughed.

“Let’s go boys!” The other whooped, and even after the trucks had driven away, their callous words still rattled Anna.

“I hate them,” She muttered, not able to look at Kristoff.

“I don’t blame you,” he said, sounding sincere for once. “But it sounds like most of them are heading back to the front of town.”

“So we should head to the back?”

“Exactly. Maybe we can find a way out.”

Anna sighed, trying to fight off how exhausted she felt. “As long as we get out of here, I’ll be happy.”

“Then let’s go.”

They snuck out through the back door of the shop, into another maze of dark alleyways. The streetlights that once provided guidance and radiance had gone dead long ago, leaving the moon as their only source of light. The whole situation reminded Anna of the nightime hide n’ seek games she used to play with her friends in the neighborhood, back when she was young. Except this time, the penalty for losing would be more than bragging rights or a tickle attack. They would have to pay in blood.

Anna stayed behind Kristoff at all times, still scared of being spotted by the gang of men. The streets seemed quieter now that the sun was down, and they only came across a few hunters lurking in the side streets.

Kristoff easily took care of them, and while Anna still felt slightly unnerved by watching him kill, she knew it needed to be done. After all, one dead hunter was one less person tracking them down.

By what had to be close to midnight, they finally had a glimmer of hope. Anna felt her heart soar when she saw the city border, or what had to be it. Another barricade of crashed school buses, trucks, and cars lined the perimeter, marking where the pavement ended and the grass began. “We’re almost out!” She whispered, pointing ahead. “There’s the end of the city! It has to be!”

Kristoff gave a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”

They started walking towards the edge; the forest in sight, freedom on the brink, and hopes on the rise until-

Gunshots.

“The tourists!” Someone shouted, and seconds later the figures of hunters were emerging from the barricades, nearby buildings, old cars, and further down the street. Their guns fired at them from all sides, echoing so loudly they would be heard from miles away.

Anna ducked, the bullets just missing her. “KRISTOFF!”   
  
“COME ON!” He shouted, breaking off into a run.

They headed back into the dark city streets, the hunters right on their tails. There were so many more than Anna had expected; how so many people could be so bloodthirsty astounded her. Thankfully, they still had the darkness, which it made escaping the hunters easier. But it still wasn’t that simple. The hunters had flashlights in their hands and headlights on their cars. They called out to each other, their presence tightening around Anna and Kristoff like they were nothing more than a pair of house flies caught in their dangerous web. It wasn’t until Anna and Kristoff ducked into the room of an old apartment building that they finally found solace, and a moment to catch their breath.

“T-They’ve got this whole place locked down,” Kristoff wheezed, sinking to sit onto the floor in front of the door. “The entire border, the inner city; probably the neighboring forests too.”

Anna felt like she was going to be sick. Her hands wouldn’t stop shaking and the sounds of gunshots firing off outside were much like the toll of a bell, counting down what time they had left alive. “We’re trapped,” she whispered, slowly sitting down beside him. “They’re going to kill us.”

He nodded, running a hand through his hair. “Looks like it.”

Anna groaned, burying her face between her knees.  _Here we go again._


	9. The Wake-Up Call

**T** hey decided to use the apartment building as a safe house; after all it was in a shady corner of town, and with so many rooms and floors to look through, it would be hard for Anna and Kristoff to be located even if the hunters knew they were inside.

Kristoff had told Anna to get some sleep, that he would keep watch. She remembered how he’d sat down in front of the window, keeping his eye on the entrance to the building below. “Don’t worry,” he’d muttered as her eyes had begun to flutter. “They won’t get us.”

It had been the last thing she’d seen before falling asleep, but now, as she awoke the next morning, she realized he was missing.

Anna sat up in the bundle of old sheets she’d been sleeping in, her heart pounding in fear. “Kristoff?!” She whispered, looking around the empty room. It had to be sometime in the afternoon, as the sun that filtered through the old windows cast enough light across the room that she could see clearly. There were footprints in the dusty floor leading from the window Kristof had last been seen at to the door. His backpack was gone, as well as his gun.

_If he wasn’t already dead, she was going to kill him._

Anna scrambled up from bed, immediately searching the entire apartment. She looked in every room, but he wasn’t there. She opened every closet, but only cobwebs and broken hangers greeted her. She threw back dirty sheets and ratty blankets and even the curtain of the broken-down shower, but he still wasn’t there.

“ _Where the hell are you?”_  She whispered to herself, storming back into the main room. As more time went on, she became more and more panicked. She paced back and forth in the living room, trying not to freak out, but doing so rather unsuccessfully. What if the hunters had come back and kidnapped him? Wouldn’t she have woken up? Why didn’t they take her too? What if he ran away? Maybe he was so fed up with her he finally took off! Would he really do that? He couldn’t have, he promised Elsa. He wouldn’t leave town without her, he couldn’t!

After a good hour of worrying, Anna heard the door creak open. Her heart leapt in fear, but she kept her ground. “Who’s there!?” She demanded, quickly pulling out her pistol.

“It’s  _me!_ ” Kristoff called out, holding up his hands as he slowly entered. He had blood splattered on his cheeks, fresh dust on his shoes, and a perturbed scowl on his face. “Don’t shoot!”

Anna smiled in relief, but quickly felt her blood start to boil. The gall of him to look so….so _annoyed,_ when she was the one who’d been abandoned here, all alone, without so much as a note. She glared at him, starting to see red. “What the  _hell_  were you thinking!?” She snapped, storming over to him and giving him a hard shove. “You can’t take off like that without me! If something happened to you, if you got hurt or  _killed_ , I wouldn’t even know! I’d be completely alone! Why would you do that to me!?”

“God, I’m sorry!” Kristoff exclaimed, though he didn’t sound very sincere. “I just wanted to scope things out, alone. I didn’t want to wake you up or for it to take too long.”

“Well, we’re a team now!” She snarled, putting her hands on her hips. “You can’t do stuff like this! You promised Elsa, and therefore promised me!”

He sighed, finally looking repentant. “You’re right, I’m sorry. He sighed, finally looking repentant. “You’re right, I’m sorry. But it paid off - I got this.” He pulled a tattered map out of his back pocket, displaying it to her as if it was a prized trophy. “It has the whole town mapped out, including the hunters’ meeting grounds, lookout points, and schedules. It’s our key to getting out of this hellhole.”

Anna’s eyes widened, and for a moment she felt a surge of glee, but easily masked it. “How the hell did you get that?” She instead said coldly, putting her gun away and walking with him to the dresser.

“I ran into a little…situation with another hunter,” he said, lying the map out. “I found this in his pocket when it was over. I found some extra food his backpack, too. Not a lot, but enough to hold us over until we can get out of here. ”

“Good. So tell me: how exactly are we going to use this to get out of here?” Anna demanded, folding her arms across her chest as she scanned the map.

“Well, we can’t sneak out this time,” Kristoff mused, looking over the city map. “There’s too many of them, even late at night, look; they have night watchmen at all the exits.”

“So you’re saying we’re stuck?!”

“ _No_ , I’m saying we just have to barge right out of here, take them by surprise so fast they won’t know what hit them.”

Anna raised an eyebrow. “And how are we going to do that?”

Kristoff walked towards the window, pointing to the mess of broken cars that lay in the alley outside. “We fix ourselves one of those.”

Anna couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. “Are you serious? All those cars are probably broken and old! Not to mention have no gas! There’s no way we can just drive one of those out of here.”

“That’s why we’re going to find one to fix,” he explained, walking back over to her. “There’s hundreds of them throughout the city, all we have to do is find the right parts, siphon some gas, and speed out of here. We might be easy targets on foot, but in a car we could drive faster than them, maybe even knock a few out of our way.”

Anna looked at him, still not so sure. After all, the hunters had cars too, and guns. All it took was a few shots through the windows or tires and they’d be as good as dead. But it was the only plan they had, and Anna couldn’t let herself die, or spend another day here. She didn’t want to stop fighting, not only for her survival, but for Elsa. This plan, as risky as it was, was better than no plan.

“I guess it’ll work,” She mumbled, looking down.

“Alright!” He smiled, clapping and rubbing his hands together. “Now we’ve got to get prepared. You still have your gun on you?”

“Yeah?” Anna frowned, pulling it back out. “Why?”

“We’ve got to teach you how to fire it properly,” Kristoff said, walking over to her. “Seeing you pointing that gun at me just now was scarier than any clicker; though with your aim, I would probably be more scared if you were trying to fire at the wall. Not to mention that stunt yesterday was pitiful.”

“Hey!” Anna snapped, unable to stop herself from getting defensive. “I got us out of there, didn’t I? And I totally knocked those guys out!”

“But things won’t always be like that,” He insisted. “If you’re ever in real danger and don’t know how to protect yourself, things could get ugly. I need to make sure you can defend yourself; I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Anna’s anger melted away slightly at his sudden show of concern, and she couldn’t help but tease him. “Well, well, well; it almost sounds as if you care for me, Kristoff.”

He scowled at her, his cheeks red, and rolled his eyes. “You just need to be safe, okay? I made a promise to your sister, and all that.”

“Fine,” Anna sighed, taking her pistol out of her back pocket. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt. I mean, it could. Because it’s a gun and I’d be shooting something, which would definitely hurt whatever I shot at. Also I could shoot myself, which wouldn’t be good either. Plus guns are made to hurt people, so yeah.”

Kristoff snorted, and for a second Anna thought she even saw him smile. However, she must have imagined it, for when she looked back, he had his usual cool stance in tact. “Alright,” he said, taking the gun from her hand. “Now the most important thing to remember is that you’re in control. Don’t let your weapon scare you.”

Anna nodded. “I’m in control, got it.”

“Next, you’ve got to get your aim right. That’s what you seem to have the most trouble with.” He placed the pistol back in her hands, wrapping her fingers around the handle.

Anna knit her brow as she mused over his words. A part of her was still conflicted over whether she actually did miss those men back at the general store, or if it was just that she didn’t really want to hit them. She told herself the first option to make herself feel better.

Kristoff stood behind her, his hands still over hers. “Now,” he said, raising the gun to her eye level. “You’re going to look through that little notch, right there on the top of the barrel. That’ll help you aim.”

Anna nodded, focusing on the task at hand, though that proved to be difficult. It was as if she was suddenly reminded that Kristoff was standing closer than he ever had to her, and that he was, in every sense of the word, a  _man_. She kept trying to ignore the feel of his calloused palms cupping her hand and his warm breath against the side of her face; brushing and caressing her cheek with each word he spoke. She tried not to enjoy the feel of his strong forearms moving her own smaller ones, but it was surprisingly hard. Even if he was kind of an ass, he was an admittedly well-built, and  _slightly_ attractive one (but only slightly, she assured herself).

_Wait, what?_

Anna felt her face heat up as she tried to mentally backtrack. He wasn’t attractive, he was… _Kristoff_. What mattered was that she could feel safe knowing she had someone strong on her side. That’s what was important; nothing more, nothing less. She didn’t allow time to let her mind go anywhere else. Instead, she listened to his instructions, closing one eye and looking down the barrel of the gun. “And then what?”

His fingers curled more tightly around hers, steadying her aim. “You’ve got to keep your eyes on the target at all times; don’t look away. If you so much as flinch or freak out you could wind up missing the shot, which could cost you your life.”

She nodded again, keeping her eyes right on the dresser he had her aiming at. “Then I shoot?”

“Then,” he continued, moving her finger for her. “You place your finger over the trigger, not breaking eye contact. Double-check your aim is still good, take a deep breath, and take your shot.”

Anna closed her eyes, taking every word to heart. She wouldn’t let herself fail again. In her mind, she was back in the shop, dangling from the ceiling, only this time, she made her shot count. She pictured what it would be like to finally take someone out, to protect herself and Kristoff, to be strong. She smiled softly, though still slightly nervous. “I think I’ve got it,” she whispered, opening her eyes and turning her head to look at him.

Their eyes met, and Anna was reminded once again that they were still standing oh-so close. For a moment Anna thought she saw something there, but told herself it was nothing. Besides, she realized it felt too uncomfortable and awkward to be close like this; looking at each other, back to broad chest, almost nose-to-nose, so she quickly looked away, lowering the weapon.

“Good,” he nodded, straightening up and pulling away quickly. “Because we can’t afford another fuck up. Next time, it could cost us our lives.”

Anna’s eyes narrowed slightly as she put her gun away, their moment, whatever it’d been, quickly broken. “Yeah, I know.”

He walked to the side of the room, grabbing his backpack off the floor. “Now we need to head out,” he instructed, slipping it over his shoulders. “The sooner we can find a car, the better.”

“Now?!” Anna gulped, looking at him apprehensively. “In broad daylight? I thought we were going to wait until it was dark?”

“If we do that, it’ll be harder to look through the car parts. We’d also have to use our flashlights, which would draw more attention to us. Now’s our best option.”

Anna sighed and shook her head. She knew he was right, despite the fact that she didn’t want to admit it. She grabbed her own backpack and headed towards him. “Why do our options always have to suck?” She said, only half joking.

“Come on,” He snorted, guiding her out the door.

☳☳☳

They made their way back through the town, heading in the general direction of where they’d arrived yesterday. They passed plenty of cars along the way; each time Kristoff would tell Anna to cover him while he had a look under the hood, and each time they would come up empty. The engines would be fried, the windshields shattered, or the tires rotted. Sometimes all of the above. All the other cars were a part of what Anna now recognized as windshield alarms, like the one that she’d set off in the general store yesterday. The cars would be parked right next to a store window, internally stripped for parts, and facing the sidewalk. Ordinary to the innocent tourist, a death trap for the weary survivor. Anna might have found the whole setup clever if she didn’t know the grim truth behind it all.

Kristoff seemed to become even more tense than usual as time went on. The more vehicles he examined, the worse it got. He opened the hoods more irritably, walked more briskly, furrowed his brow more deeply.

Anna just did as she’d been told and stayed behind him at all times, looking over her shoulder for hunters. “Found anything yet?” She asked as he rummaged through an old van, trying to stay hopeful.

“Can you stop asking the same question every time I look at a car?” Kristoff snapped. Okay, so he was  _very_ tense. Through his angry muttering and growled curses, Anna had learned that his main dilemma was that none of the cars had batteries, and that they weren’t going anywhere without one. Anna understood that it was frustrating, after all, she was experiencing it all too, but it wasn’t an excuse for him to take it out on her. She was only trying to help!

“I was just wondering!” Anna pouted, folding her arms. “You don’t have to snap at me.”

“Actually, I do, because you keep talking instead of keeping watch like you’re supposed to!” Kristoff shoved the hood shut angrily and stormed off down the street, still fuming.

“I  _was_  keeping watch!” She protested, following right behind him. “And according to the map, most of the hunters are on the other side of town right now anyway. We’re safe for now.”

“So that’s an excuse to slack off?”

“It’s not an excuse!”

“It sounds like one to me.”

“Well, you’re wrong!”

He cut through a small park, where a dried up fountain and broken benches surrounded what used to be flower beds and wildflower patches. “No, I’m not,” he snarled.

“Yes you are! You’re just being mean!”

He rolled his eyes, turning around to glare at her. “And you’re just being annoying! Now can you shut up and let me work?!”

“Make me!” Anna snapped, stepping closer.

His eyes flashed as he opened in mouth in what would probably be a lengthy retort, but it never came. Instead, he paused, froze, and adverted his eyes upward. His face slowly paled as he took a step back, seemingly shocked.

Anna eyed him, her stomach knotting with sudden concern. “What?”

He shook his head, looking disgusted. She asked him again, but when she got no answer, Anna had no choice but to look for herself.

She quickly wished she hadn’t.

What she saw reminded her once again how dark and twisted the world had become. She felt numb, nauseous, and grievous all at the same time. Her eyes stung and she clenched her fists as she tried to calm herself.

The bodies of yesterday’s dead couple hung by their necks from the branches of a tree, slowly swaying in the wind. The blood from the gunshot wounds had stained their clothes, running down their darkened shirts and onto their bare legs. Their heads hung forward, eyes closed, as if they were simply asleep. Around their necks hung hastily-made signs reading, _“No hope left.”_

It was so repulsive and gruesome Anna couldn’t stop the tears from stinging at her eyes. “W-why would they do this!?” she stammered, taking several steps back. “Killing them is one thing, but this…. _why?”_

“They’re a bunch of fucking sadists, that’s why,” Kristoff scowled, turning his head away. “All of them.”

“Can’t we cut them down?” Anna asked, already looking for a blade in her pocket.

“No!” Kristoff ordered, placing his hand over hers to stop her. “Then the hunters will know for sure that we’ve been poking around here. I know it sucks, but we can’t let them track us.”

Anna shook her head, her heart sinking in her chest. She felt like she had to say something, do something; _anything_  to help what was left of the couple. But she knew it was futile; after all, she couldn’t save everyone.

“This plan better work,” she instead said solemnly, turning her back on the bodies.

He stood up straighter, eyes flashing with a sort of newfound determination. “It will.”

The sun was beginning to set as they ventured further into the city. Anna felt her heart throb with worry. They’d been at this all day; hours upon hours of searching through hundreds of cars, and still nothing.  _There was no way this plan would actually work,_  she thought with a scowl. The hunters would have made sure there were no options for escape.

She was just about to call it a day, just about to turn to Kristoff and tell him that they should head back, that it was time to give up, but something caught her eye.

Kristoff was bent over what was left of a Volvo when she saw it: a small repair shop, just a little further on down the road. It had a small garage off to the side with the door padlocked shut and spray-painted with profanity. It seemed simple enough, but Anna had an odd sort of feeling drawing her to it. Whether it was fate, intuition, or just plain curiosity, she knew they had to check it out.

“Think we’d be lucky enough to find a car in there?” She mused, turning to look at him. “I mean, it _is_  a repair shop.”

He looked up and snorted. “Doubt it. But I guess we could probably find some tools in there.”

“Let’s go then.”

It was only a matter of minutes before they’d made it to the garage, but for Anna it felt like an eternity. Despite the fact that they’d hardly ran into any hunters today, seeing that couple had put her on high alert. Constantly looking over your shoulder, having your palms sweating, and your heart racing was so exhausting, she couldn’t wait until they were safe in the apartment. Or better yet, safe 1,000 miles away from here.

The garage had no other doors other than the large steel one they currently stood in front of. A chain was wrapped around the bottom latch one would use to open the door, complete with a padlock. She watched as Kristoff fumbled with the lock, trying and failing to make any progress with it. Eventually, he scowled and stood up, kicking the chain half-heartedly. “I don’t want to shoot it off, but it looks like we’re going to have to,” he muttered, pulling out his gun.

“No, wait!” Anna exclaimed, placing her hand on the gun to stop him. Firing their weapon might as well have been equivalent to painting targets on their backs. The city was so quiet, any sound would echo for miles. “There has to be another way!”

He eyed her. “Like…?”

She took a step back, scanning the garage for another answer. Most of the outside paneling was rusted and dented, so they couldn’t scale the sides. There were a few piles of tires scattered around, but they were all so flattened, trying to stand on one would have been pointless. But with further inspection, Anna discovered two small rectangular windows on the back of the garage, too small for Kristoff to fit through, but for her…

“Can you give me a boost?” She asked, pointing to the windows. “I can get in, and try to open it up from the inside.”

Kristoff didn’t look so sure. “I dunno…it’s risky; what if there’s infected in there?”   
  
She gave him a look. “If there were, we would have heard them by now.”

He sighed. “I guess. Just…be careful and don’t die.”

Anna snorted. “Thanks for the advice.”

They went to the window together, double-checking that there were no hunters around. Kristoff interlocked his fingers and held them out to her as a footrest. “Alright, c’mon,” he said, beckoning her over.

Anna gingerly placed her foot in his hand, holding her breath as he then lifted her into the air.

“Can you reach?” Kristoff grunted, trying to keep her steady.

Anna stood on her tip toes, clawing for the window. “A-almost…!”

“Well, hurry up!” He said, boosting her up higher. “For someone so small you’re surprisingly heavy!”

Anna’s eyes narrowed, and unsure of how to respond to the statement, chose to ignore it. Her fingertips were just brushing the window pane, she knew she could reach it with only a few more inches…

She jumped a little, temporarily forgetting that Kristoff’s face was right under her foot.

“Ow!” Kristoff yelped, causing her to sway. “Jesus, Anna! Watch it!”

“I’m sorry!” She whispered, feeling her cheeks burn. “It was an accident! I was just trying to get a little higher, that’s all!”

“Just hurry up!” He said grouchily, lifting her up high once more.

“Alright, alright!” She exclaimed, reaching up again. This time, she jumped successfully, and managed to wrap her fingers around the window pane. She lifted herself up, and confronted with the window, just managed to slide it out of her way. With one last boost, she dropped herself through the window, landing with a painful thud on the cement floor inside.

“Ow!” She winced, clutching her now sore side. Maybe just throwing herself through hadn’t been the best idea, she mentally muttered as she dusted herself off.

“Do you see anything?!” Kristoff called out.

Anna stood up and squinted into the dark, dusty garage. She couldn’t see much; the windows were so dirty hardly any light came through them albeit for the one she’d opened. She finally dug in her backpack for her flashlight, flicking it on and shining it into the darkness. What she saw was more than she had ever hoped for, and she rushed over to it at once, examining it as eagerly as a child would a Christmas present. “ _No way,”_ she breathed, feeling the unfamiliar sensation of pure relief. For a moment, she allowed herself to really believe this plan could work. They could get out of here, they could survive, they could make it!

“Anna!?” Kristoff whispered angrily from outside, knocking on the paneled walls. “Can you hear me?!”

Anna rolled her eyes. “Yes! Just a second!” She scanned the room before finding an industrial-sized metal cutter, and ran back to the window. “Here!” She called out, tossing the tool out the window.

She heard the sound of the cutter fall to the ground, as well as the footsteps Kristoff made as he scrambled for it. “Good thinking,” he muttered, walking back to the garage doors.

Anna smiled to herself as she listened to him get to work on the chain.  _Good thinking?_ She’d never thought she’d live long enough to hear Kristoff, of all people, give her a compliment, even if it was admittedly just a small one. He was warming up to her, she thought with a smirk, it was only a matter of time.

After close to 7 minutes, he finally managed to cut through one part of the chain, and proceeded to yank it away. “Alright, I’m in,” he muttered, setting the chain aside. Carefully and quietly, Anna helped him lift the garage door just enough that he could slide in, then quickly close it again once he was inside.

“So,” Kristoff said, standing up and dusting himself off. “What do we got?”

Anna smiled at him, skipping over to what she’d found. “Ta-da!” She beamed, waving her hands towards it.

An old pick-up truck, its paint chipped and rims rusted, sat in the middle of the garage. The tires were old but in usable condition, the windows were a little cracked but still good, and when Kristoff hastily opened the hood, a working battery sat inside.

“ _Holy shit,”_  he whispered, running a hand through his hair in disbelief. “I mean, it’s still missing some parts, the engine needs some work, and the transmission needs a little fixing, but this could actually work!”

“And we have this entire workshop to use!” Anna pointed out happily. “It’s all ours! I mean, are we lucky or what? How did this car even get here?”

He shrugged. “Maybe someone had the same idea as us. But it doesn’t matter, it’s ours now, and we’re going to finish the job.”

She nodded, trying to ignore the disheartening feeling of knowing someone before them had already tried and failed. “Right, so let’s get to work!”

He shook his head. “Not today; it’s getting late and the sun is going down, I don’t want to be walking around here after dark. We’ll head back, then come here in the morning when the area is clear.”

Anna nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

Together, she and Kristoff removed the battery from the truck and hid it in an old toolbox, just in case someone came and tried to make off with the car. Kristoff slipped out the garage door again, which Anna jammed shut with a crowbar afterwards. Then, she stacked up enough toolboxes to climb out the window, making sure to shut it behind her.

She dangled from the windowsill, this time determined to make a less painful landing. “Catch!” She called out to Kristoff, who looked slightly bewildered but held out his arms to her just the same.

Anna fell, and he caught her with ease, his arms contracting tightly around her. Anna was once again impressed by his strength, and she felt her cheeks grow hot. “Uh, thanks!” She smiled, patting his shoulder awkwardly.

“Mmph,” he snorted in response. He set her down on the ground, looking disgruntled. “Let’s just get back to the apartment.”

Anna eyed him, slightly amused. “Okay.”

They snuck back through the city streets in pursuit of the apartment, only having to duck into a few alleys to avoid the hunters and their trucks. As they moved on, Anna couldn’t help but notice that Kristoff was pointedly walking a few feet away from her at all times. Had her fall really flustered him that much? Or maybe it was just his damn introvertedness showing through again. They would have to work on that.

When they reached the apartment building, Kristoff turned into the alley that would lead them to their secret entrance; a first-floor window. Anna, still several feet behind, thought nothing of it until she heard the startling sounds of a struggle. Her heart leapt and she ran forward, but by the time she reached Kristoff, it was too late.

A hunter Kristoff trapped in a headlock, his back turned to Anna as he slowly choked the life out of him. Kristoff was trying to fight back, trying to get a good blow in, but his gun had fallen from his pocket and onto the ground several feet away. Anna could see him flailing his arms wildly, but he was getting weaker, limper. He would be dead in a matter of minutes.

Anna felt her body go cold - she wanted to scream, run, or call out for help - but she quietly dashed forward, boldly leaping onto the hunter’s back and wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. “Got you, asshole!”

The hunter tried to buck her off, seemingly confused and shocked as to what was happening. He clawed at her arms, trying to pry her off but releasing Kristoff in the process, who stumbled onto the ground. “Stupid bitch!” The man grunted, smacking his back, and her, against the wall harshly and repeatedly.

Anna yelped in pain. Her head started to pound and her ears rang louder with every smack against the hard, brick wall. But she wouldn’t allow herself to stop and kept her hold, refusing to let go.

Kristoff scrambled off the ground, grabbed his pocketknife and dashed forward. With a brisk movement he plunged it into the hunter, stabbing him several times before he finally slumped over, lifeless.

Anna stood still for a moment, unable to move or think clearly. She pushed the hunter off of her quickly and turned to look at Kristoff with wide, fearful eyes. “H-he almost  _killed_ you,” she whispered, unable to say anything more coherent. The hunter’s blood was splattered across her cheeks, and she blinked back frightened tears at the thought of being alone. If she had only been a few minutes slower…

“I know.” Kristoff looked right back at her, his eyes dark. He was breathing heavily as he clutched the blood-coated knife with white knuckles, hands still shaking. “I just….th-thanks,” he breathed, and Anna had no other response than a nod.

In situations like these, sometimes words just weren’t enough.


	10. The Setting Sun

**A** t the crack of dawn, Kristoff shook Anna awake, evidently ready to start another day. “Get up,” he said, ignoring her groans of protest.

“5 more minutes,” Anna grumbled, burying her face in the sweatshirt she’d been using as a pillow. Thanks to that confrontation with that hunter yesterday, she hadn’t slept well all night. She just kept seeing Kristoff struggling, trying to fight back but on the brink of death. She’d watch his face pale, his eyes roll back, and body slump over. He’d slowly fall to the ground, lifeless, without so much as a cry for help. She couldn’t move, breathe, run, or do anything to save him.

It was like Elsa all over again, which Anna was still having nightmares over too, only the Elsa dreams were worse. With Kristoff, she could wake up and see him sprawled out a few feet away from her, hear his snores, and know he was alright. With Elsa, there was no comfort. She was really gone and there was no coming back.

At the moment, she didn’t really have any motivation to get up, move, or even think; let alone go out and face a bunch of bloodthirsty hunters.

“C’mon,” Kristoff insisted, nudging her with his foot. “If we hurry we could be out of here by tonight.”

That peaked her interest, and Anna couldn’t help but forget her worries for a moment. She peeked up at him, hoping he didn’t notice how messy her hair had gotten from sleep. “Tonight?”

He sighed in exasperation. “Yes, _tonight!_  But we have to hurry! So get up off your ass and come on!”

She rolled her eyes, but did as he asked. After all, the idea of leaving tonight was so indulging, she wanted to do everything she could to make it happen, even if it meant getting out of bed.

“Do you need to eat anything?” Kristoff asked, handing her backpack to her.

She shook her head. “I’ll eat at the shop.”

They headed out into the hallway, Kristoff in the lead. Both were silent and kept their distance from the other; an unnamed awkwardness nestled between them. Their eyes averted to the dusty carpet beneath their shoes, and Anna wondered if it was always going to be like this; bickering when they were angry, and silent when they were not. She thought things had been getting better yesterday, but maybe she had been wrong. A part of her still wasn’t over the tender moments they’d shared learning to shoot her gun, but she found it was also quite easy to push the memory aside, at least for the time being.

Kristoff opened the door to the shaft of the spiraling staircase that led up and down each level and to the main lobby. “I really hope we can finish this today,” Kristoff muttered, starting to walk down the stairs. “This whole town is a-”

And then, they froze. The loud slam of the lobby’s front door echoed up the narrow stairwell shaft, as well as the sounds of several footsteps and voices entering the building.

“Spread out!” A voice ordered. “They’re here; we just have to find them!”

“ _Shit!”_ Kristoff whispered, taking a few steps back towards Anna. “How the hell did they find us?”

“Does it matter? Come on!” Anna hissed frantically, pulling Kristoff up the stairs. They scurried up each level, trying to stay as silent as possible.

“Go check upstairs!” Someone ordered, and the sounds of footsteps echoed up the metal staircase as the hunters began to climb.

Anna and Kristoff moved faster, not daring to peek over the railing at the hunters below. Anna’s heart was pounding in her ears, and she couldn’t stop shaking as they moved higher and higher. Her mind was racing, and she couldn’t focus on anything else but getting somewhere safe. However, she was shaking so much and moving so fast, it was no surprise when she missed a step and slipped, sliding down a section of stairs with a loud clatter.

“I heard them!” A hunter shouted, and the sound of running men shook the staircase with a terrifying ferocity.

“K-kristoff!” Anna gasped, her eyes widening in fear.

“Come on!” Kristoff snapped, going back to yank her onto her feet before running ahead.

The bullets began firing as the hunters shrunk the distance between them. Anna ducked her head and ran faster, angry tears in the corners of her eyes. Why did she always have to mess everything up?

“I got them in my sights!” A hunter shouted, and a bullet flew right past Anna and Kristoff’s heads.

“Faster!” Kristoff hissed, and Anna didn’t hesitate to do as she was told. They made it past the 8th floor and to the top of the staircase, where one doorway remained. Kristoff shoved it open, and they ran through, finding themselves on the roof of the apartment.

“Help me block this!” Kristoff exclaimed.

He found an old metal crate someone had tossed aside and started and shoving it. Anna rushed over to help him, and together they managed to place it in front of the door.

“That won’t hold for long,” He panted, running a hand through his hair. “We’ve got to get out of here.”

“Then let’s keep moving!” She insisted, and they took off down the rooftop together. They ran to the edge, but there was no fire-escape staircase. It had long ago rusted and was broken in several places, making it incapable of use as an escape route.

“ _What!?”_ Anna gasped, shaking her head in dismay. “How are we supposed to get down!?”

The hunters had made it to the blocked doorway. The sound of them shoving and kicking echoed on the rooftop. In a few moments, the crate would give way, and they’d be screwed.

Kristoff ran along the side of the building, looking for a way down. “Anna!” He called out, beckoning her over. Anna ran to his side and looked down. A floor down hung an old window-washer platform, suspended by two wire cables. It swayed ominously in the wind, reminding Anna just how dangerous this was.

Anna stared at him, horrified. “Are you serious!?”

“There’s no other option and no time! Here, I’ll go first and catch you,” he said, and with hardly so much as a second of hesitation, he jumped. He landed on the platform hard, causing it to sway and shake.

“ _Oh my god!”_  Anna gasped, placing her hands over her mouth and looking down at him. “Are you okay?”

He winced, slowly getting to his feet. “Well, that hurt,” he muttered, rubbing his back. He looked up to her, wincing in the early morning sun. “Come on!” He called out, holding out his arms.

Anna took a deep breath, readied herself, jumped off the side of the building, and flew through the air. She let out a small cry of fear as fell, gasping as she landed hard in Kristoff’s arms.

“You okay?” He asked, holding her tightly.

She opened her eyes, blinking slowly. “I didn’t die?”

He smiled breathlessly, setting her down on the platform. “No,” he said, walking to the right of the platform where the controls were. It took him a moment to examine the controls, but before long he was lowering them down the side of the building.

Anna stood on the left side of the platform, holding onto the railing with white knuckles. While she wasn’t scared of heights per say, she was definitely scared of falling to her death, and of the hunters finding them. She kept her eyes on Kristoff, telling herself over and over again that everything was going to be okay.

They moved quickly, but apparently not quickly enough. 2 minutes later, the sound of the hunters finally kicking the door down echoed off the rooftops. Kristoff muttered a curse before increasing his pulling speed, moving them down even faster. They were just past the 4th floor now; approaching the third. The ground was still a little over 30 feet below.

The hunters ran all over the rooftop, shouting out things to each other and taunting Anna and Kristoff.

“ _Hurry!”_  Anna hissed, getting more anxious by the second.

“ _I am!”_  He snapped, pulling harder.

“I found them!” A hunter called out, standing on the edge of the building above them. He pulled out his gun and immediately began firing, but instead of hitting Anna and Kristoff, the bullet shot through the left cable supporting the platform, splitting it in two.

Anna yelped, sliding down from where she was standing and slamming against Kristoff. “We’re going to die!” She wailed, clutching onto him.

Kristoff pulled out his gun, trying to fire up at the hunter, but the morning sun shone directly in his eyes, blocking his vision. “Goddamn it!” He scowled, firing off shots but to no avail.

The hunter scowled at them, yelling some sort of obscenity before his bullet hit the second cable.

_Shit._

The cable snapped, and the platform fell, flying at breakneck speed. Anna had barely any time to process what was happening, but she could hear someone screaming and had to assume it was her. The sky above them and the ground below them disappeared; leaving the world was reduced to nothing more than a turbulent storm of rushing wind and sound.

Kristoff was shouting something to her, she could see his hand reaching out to her before-

There was the sound of clanging metal and ripping fabric as the platform collided with the awning that hung over the apartment, causing the cart to bounce first and then get stuck in the metal frame. She felt herself get flung out of the platform and through the air, though her vision was blurry and all she could make out was the glare of the sun shining right in her eyes. A roaring white noise filled her ears, and for a moment the world seemed to move at half-speed.

With a hard impact, she hit something slightly soft, but also prickly and dense. Anna felt herself black out for a moment, and her mind spun, but as time went on she was more than surprised to realize she was still alive. Her ears were ringing loudly, and her brain was pounding against her skull, but she could still sense the warm blood pooling down her legs and arms. She could feel her toes move, taste the blood in her mouth, and smell the scent of earth and plant-life.

_She was alive._

She slowly opened her eyes, looking up to the brilliant blue sky above. The sound of birds chirping and gunshots firing slowly filled her ears as she came back to full consciousness. She winced in pain as she felt her sore knee throb in newfound pain, and with shaking hands she sat up off the thick bush she’d landed on. She stood up slowly, falling and stumbling back down several times. Her legs weren’t broken, but they hurt like hell, and each step she took caused her to wince. The world was spinning, and she looked around dazedly, trying to come to her senses.   
  
“Kristoff?” She called out, looking around. She’d landed only a few feet away from the apartment building, on the thick, overgrown bushes that lined the entryway to the apartment building. Anna kept calling out for Kristoff as she searched for him, the threat of hunters lost from her mind. “K-kristoff?”

She limped closer to the crash site, where the mangled platform was stuck in the metal skeleton of the awning. Debris was scattered across the sidewalk, but Kristoff was no where to be found.

Then suddenly, she heard what sounded like him grunt and swear, and she rushed towards the sound immediately. Her legs screamed in protest with every step she took, but it didn’t matter; she had to make sure Kristoff was okay.

To her relief, she found him in the alley across the street, apparently having been flung straight forward when they crashed. Luckily for him, there were a mountain of old boxes and rotted mattresses the hunters had disposed there; apparently they’d used the alley as a dump site for old things they didn’t need. He was scratched up badly from the bed springs, had several paper cuts from the boxes, and was in just as much pain as she was, but nevertheless, alive.

Anna felt it was too good to be true, but she definitely wasn’t going to complain. “K-kristoff!” She smiled, limping down the alley to him. “We made it! Sort of…”

“We got lucky,” He wheezed, slowly getting onto his feet. “Really fucking lucky. If it wasn’t for that awning breaking the fall…Well, you know.”

“L-let’s just get out of here,” she panted, glancing over her shoulder. “I mean, they probably think we’re dead, but we shouldn’t risk hanging around.”

“Well, we can’t go back there now,” Kristoff sighed. “Not when they have suspicions that we were in there.”

“Well then, where are we going to sleep?” Anna asked, following him as they began to slowly walk down the alley. “We have nowhere else to go, except the garage, and that’s not very secure…”   
“All the more reason to get started on the car,” he said simply. “Now come on, we have to get back to the garage before noon.”

Sticking to alleyways, they made their way to the repair shop, trying to slowly recuperate feeling into their legs. Anna stumbled and fell several times, and Kristoff, despite his grouchy remarks, always turned back to help her up.

By the time they reached the shop, they could both walk straight, but still quite painfully. Kristoff insisted that they rest the remainder of the day, as trying to fix a car in this state would be futile. Anna reluctantly agreed. She wanted to be out of this town, but she knew that neither of them would be able to drive well with their legs so sore.

They barricaded themselves in the repair shop, shoving as many tool boxes, crates, and other large objects as they could in front of the steel door. They slept in the bed of the pickup truck, each with their back to the other. As they drifted off to sleep, Anna couldn’t stop her mind from wandering. “Do you really think we can do this?” She whispered, eyes running over the rusted metal of the truck bed. “You know, like actually make it out of here alive?”

He shifted, and Anna was surprised to hear the light-heartedness in his voice. “We just survived a 30-foot fall off a building; I think we can handle a few assholes.”

Anna smiled, letting out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding and finally letting her body relax. “Good,” she murmured, closing her eyes. She knew there was no way Kristoff could know this for sure, but hearing him say it aloud did ease her worries a bit.

☳☳☳

They slept all through the evening and night, completely exhausted from so much exertion. When they awoke the next morning, they were still painfully sore, but able to walk and move more naturally. They ate some dried peaches Kristoff had stolen from the hunter’s backpack for breakfast, and shared a bottle of water. Kristoff helped her with her bruised arms and legs, and she with his. Bandaged, fed, and better-rested, both were in much brighter spirits as they began to work on the car; the hopeful prospect of escaping strong and unfaltering.

They spent all afternoon working on the car, scavenging for parts around the shop, exploring nearby areas for cars, siphoning gas, and trying to get the car to work. Finding parts was easy; the nearby alleyways were a wasteland of abandoned scrap metal and rusty mechanicals. Actually getting the car to function was the worst part. The exhaust would pop, filling the air with its foul gas, the engine would cough and sputter, or old wiper fluid would splurt onto the windshield, splattering onto their faces. In a memorable event, Kristoff thought he finally had it and asked Anna to start the car, only to have the radiator spurt oily water right in his face.

Anna had immediately burst into laughter, unable to help herself.

“It’s not funny!” He snapped, furiously scrubbing his face clean with the end of his shirt.

“Right, sorry,” she said quickly, trying to keep a straight face - one she didn’t hold for long. “Y-you just looked really funny with all that oil on your face!”

He eyed her with annoyance. “Just come help me fix this.”

“Alright!” She sighed, turning the car off and going to stand beside him. She took the wrench he handed out to her, getting to work on making sure all the screws were in place. It seemed to be working, but as she tightened the last screw, the radiator gave off one last spurt of excess water, splashing it right against her face.

“Hey!” Anna gasped, sputtering as the water and oil streamed down her cheeks.

Now it was Kristoff’s turn to laugh, which he did, rather mockingly in fact. “Nice one!”

Anna scowled at him, wiping the oil off her face and rubbing it onto his in payback.

“Hey!” He exclaimed, still laughing as he backed away.

“That’s what you get,” she smirked, turning her attention back to the car.

“You started it,” he said, giving her a nudge.   
She rolled her eyes, knowing he was right but unwilling to admit it. “Whatever.”

The hours passed as they continued working, and it became harder to remain hopeful. Anna sat on top of an empty oil barrel, flipping through an old repair manual. Most of its pages were faded and missing, but she kept looking. There just had to be _something_  in there that could help them.

Kristoff was still hunched over the car, looking so frustrated Anna was surprised there wasn’t steam coming out of his ears. “What the hell is wrong with you?” He scowled, apparently conversing with the car.

“Have you made any progress yet?” Anna asked, eyeing him.

He gave her a look. “Does it look like I have?”

She rolled her eyes at him, turning back to her handbook. Completely out of ideas, she had no other choice but to close her eyes, flip to a random page, and point to the first word she saw. “Have you tried…making sure it has gas in it?”

He scowled again. “Of course.”

She flipped to another page. “You charged the battery?”

“You helped me do that.”

“Right, sorry…” Okay, so maybe this wasn’t the best idea. She flipped to another page, one that was near to falling right out of the book and had a big tear on the side. “Did you try the….uh…timing belt? Apparently it’s important.”

He paused, and Anna could almost hear his mind working furiously. “Let me see that thing,” he insisted, standing up and hitting his head on the hood of the car.

Anna fought back another laugh, instead handing the book to him with an impish grin.

Kristoff rubbed the back of his head with one hand while he held the book with the other, examining the page. He looked into the car, back at the book, into the car, and back to the book. “Well, it might help if there  _was_  one,” he finally said, immediately running over to the metal bins full of old cart parts. “The whole belt is missing! According to this we’ll need to replace some other shit too.”

Anna picked up the handbook from where he’d rested it on the hood of the car, squinting at the faded text. “It says you’ll need a water pump, tensioners, and…pulleys?”

Kristoff nodded and immediately got to work, pulling out all sorts of oddly-shaped parts and pieces from metal chests and supply bins.

Anna watched him closely, doing whatever she could to help.

_If this didn’t work…_

She frowned and shook her head, refusing to think about the alternatives. It  _would_  work, she told herself as Kristoff rushed back to the car, a mountain of parts nestled in his arms. She had to keep her faith, she knew Elsa would have wanted her to.

After several long minutes of testing, experimenting, and adjusting, Kristoff screwed the last piece in. “There,” he said with tense apprehension, slowly backing away from the vehicle. “That should do it.”

She breathed out nervously. “Let’s test it out then!”

He nodded, walking over to the side of the car and getting into the driver’s seat. He took the key out of his pocket, slipped it into the ignition, took a deep breath, and turned it on.

There was a cough and sputter of the exhaust before the car rumbled to life, its engine running in an efficient manner.

Anna’s jaw dropped, and she turned to smile at Kristoff with the brightest of grins. “Oh my god!”

“It works!” Kristoff gasped, sounding astonished. “It fucking works!”

“We did it!” Anna squealed in delight, doing a little dance on the spot. “We actually did it!”

He cheered, accidentally hitting the steering wheel too hard in excitement and sounding off the horn. Anna had never seen him this elated, and it only made her smile more. “We did!” he exclaimed, stepping out of the car, leaving the engine still running. He quickly crossed the garage, going to open the garage door. “Now get your stuff together, and let’s get the hell out of here.”

Anna smiled, running her hand over the hood of the car.  _They really did it._ All their hard work had paid off; they were actually going to get out of here. Anna’s smile softened as she pictured what Elsa would have said. Probably that Anna had done a good job, and that she was oh-so proud of her for making it this far. Anna’s heart grew heavy as the familiar pang of remorse set in, and more than anything she wished Elsa could be here to say these things in person.

As Kristoff opened the steel door, the orange-pink light of the sunset flooded into the garage. It looked so beautiful cast up against the swirling dust clouds of the air and worn metal of the pickup truck, Anna almost forgot the nature their perilous predicament. Her sorrows ebbed away, and she couldn’t help but smile in awe of the beauty.

“Let quickly grab some stuff before we leave,” Kristoff said, his voice interrupting her thoughts. He walked back over to the toolbox, digging through for any tools they might need to take.

Anna nodded and readily helped him, putting some smaller toolboxes into the bed of the truck. A screwdriver, a hammer, a wrench, some car oil; anything that could be useful.

Suddenly, the cement floor beneath them began to vibrate. The sound of a car engine filled their ears; and it wasn’t from the pickup truck. The smell of gunpowder filled their noses, and Anna felt her blood go cold as she realized what was coming.

Kristoff frowned, looking over their shoulders. “What the-?”

And then, bullets. They bounced off the sides of the building, finally going right through the garage doorway. 3 of the hunters’ military trucks and vans pulled up, guns aiming out the windows. _“We got ‘em!”_

“ _Shit!”_ Kristoff gasped, shoving a toolbox aside. “They found us!”

Anna’s eyes widened in fear, and she shook her head in disbelief. “How!?”

“Does it matter!?” He barked, throwing the backpacks, gas can, and siphoning tools into the backseat. “We have to get the hell out of here,  _now!”_

“R-right!” She nodded, dashing towards the car. The bullets flew as the hunters rushed out of their vehicles, one grazing her shoulder and causing it to bleed.  _“Dammit!”_  She winced, painfully throwing herself into the passenger’s seat.

“You okay?” Kristoff demanded, shifting the car into drive.

She nodded, buckling herself in with shaking hands.  _“Just go!”_

Kristoff ducked his head to avoid more bullets and slammed his foot on the gas pedal. With a roar of the engine, the car went from 0 to 60, literally. The hunters shot right at them, spraying their front bumper with bullets, but Kristoff abruptly swerved out of the line of fire, driving over the curb and onto the next street. He sped down the road like a madman, trying to avoid hitting the parked cars or miscellaneous debris.

Anna gripped the side of her seat tightly, trying to stop herself from knocking against the car door with each sharp turn he made. The blood from her shoulder wound was running down her arm, but Anna felt no pain; she was too focused on her fear. “D-did we lose them?” She choked, hands shaking.

She was answered by the sound of screeching tires filling her ears, and the sight of a small fleet of the hunters’ trucks and cars turning down the street behind them. Bullets flew out of their windows, just barely missing their truck.

_Great._

“Okay, what the hell do we do now!?” Anna exclaimed, desperately scanning the street for an escape.

“Now comes the fun part,” Kristoff scowled, checking the rearview mirror and pushing down harder on the gas. “Trying not to get shot.”

Anna eyed him frantically. “ _That’s_ the fun part!?”

“It is if you win.”

She glared at him, wincing as Kristoff sped over a pothole. “Do you always have to be so cocky?!”

“How was that cocky!?”

“Because you just-ugh, nevermind. Just keep your eyes on the road!”

_“I am!”_ He snapped as he turned another corner, heading downtown at brilliant speeds. More hunters flooded the streets as they turned and swerved down narrow alleys, under overpasses and around tight corners. Before long, it looked like they had close to the entire group chasing them, each armed and ready to kill.

Another bullet flew by as Kristoff turned onto the main street, this time shattering Anna’s side-view mirror. “Give it up assholes!” A man called out from the truck, firing off more shots.

_“K-kristoff!”_  Anna shrilled, her face ghostly white.  _“They’re everywhere!”_

“Can you drive?!” Kristoff exclaimed, seemingly ignoring her and reaching out one hand to pull his gun out of the glove box.

Anna turned to him. “W-what!?”

“Can you  _DRIVE?!”_

“Oh! Uh… _I d-don’t know!_ ” she cried hysterically, jumping as another bullet shot through the bed of their truck.

“Well, you’re about to learn!” Kristoff snapped, moving aside quickly to pick her up and toss her into the driver’s seat.

Anna gasped and gripped the wheel with white knuckles, trying to steer the car back into stability. “W-what do I do!?” She wailed, swerving wildly to the right to avoid crashing into the sidewalk.

He loaded his gun quickly, moved to the passenger seat, and rolled down the window. “Left pedal is for braking, right’s for gas, turn with the wheel, and don’t crash!”

_As if it were that simple._  Anna nodded, though hardly any of what he said actually resonated with her.  _Just steer and press the gas,_ she told herself, trying to stay calm.  _Steer and gas._

Kristoff started firing shots out the window, trying to aim for the hunters’ tires. “Head west, toward the barricade!” He shouted to her, wincing as he shot through the windshield of one of the cars.

“Got it!” she trilled, turning sharply to the left. She tried her best to get a look at the street signs that zipped by, attempting to navigate her way to the border, but the truck was moving too fast, and there was no way in hell she was going to slow down. Kristoff was too busy firing at the hunters to be of much help, though he was doing a remarkably good job of taking a few of them out.

As she turned onto the street that would lead them to the border, another military van cut her off, bullets flying out its windows as it flew by. She heard the sound of one of her headlights shattering, and counted her blessings that it hadn’t been her head. While her heart was pounding so hard she felt it would explode; she pressed down on the gas harder. She sped past the van erratically, scraping their hood against hers with a flurry of sparks and continuing down the street.”

“H-holy shit!” Anna gasped, turning to look at him. “Did you just see that!?”

“Stay focused! We’re approaching their main camp!” Kristoff exclaimed, ducking back into the truck to reload his gun. “I remember this place on the map!”

“But we have to follow this road out!” Anna fretted, gripping the steering wheel harder.

“Then get ready!” He barked, returning to the window.

As she sped on, now driving through the camp, Anna caught sight of military flags ripped, torn, and burned; as well as several spray-painted warnings glorifying what seemed like an uprising. It didn’t take much to imagine why this town had fallen apart.

Within seconds, a sea of hunters rushed out of the luxurious apartment buildings lining the road and onto into the middle of the street; the bullets from their machine guns spraying the entire area. There were so many of them, Anna could barely see through them to the street ahead.

Her eyes widened as she approached them, but she had no place to turn and no time to stop. Closing her eyes and ducking her head, she pressed down on the gas with all her might, driving straight through the horde. There were sickening thuds after thuds as some hunters bounced off the hood of their car, flying towards the sidewalk. When Anna looked up again, they’d made it through the horde and were now on the other side of the street.

“ _Oh my god!”_ Anna shrieked, frantically scanning the rearview mirror. “Did I just kill those guys!?”

“Who cares!?” Kristoff called out, still firing shots behind them. “It was either them or, you, and besides, that was kind of awesome!”

Anna laughed shakily and shook her head in disbelief. She would have nudged him if he hadn’t been hanging out of the window. Nevertheless, there was no time for playfulness, not with the hunters recuperating behind them. She could already smell the burning of rubber tires and the angry gunshots as more hunters leapt into cars, and she knew it was a matter of seconds before they caught up to her again.

She turned left, thinking she might lose them by driving through a few alleyways.

“Are you sure you know where you’re going!?” Kristoff snapped, frustrated that he now had lost sight on the hunters.

“Of course!” Anna lied through her teeth, speeding down the alley. “I’m just taking a shortcut! This should lead us right to-”

Her heart stopped as she reached a dead end in the form of a brick wall, several feet high; too high to drive over and no way to maneuver around.

_Oh no._

Her face paled. “B-but I thought…”

“Shit!” Kristoff scowled, glancing behind them frantically. “We’re trapped!”

“No!” Anna insisted, shaking her head. “There has to be another way out! There has to!”

The sound of the hunters’ cars grew louder as they rushed down the street Anna and Kristoff had just left, as well as the sound of angry shouts and taunting. They didn’t have much time.

They were dead.

_Unless…_

Without giving herself a moment to reconsider, Anna gripped the steering wheel and shifted the car into reverse. Pressing down hard on the gas, she sped backwards at lightning speed, knocking a few trash cans out of her way.

“ _What the hell are you doing?!”_ Kristoff exclaimed, gripping onto the sides of his seat. “We’re going to run right into them!”

“ _Just trust me!”_  Anna snapped, looking over her shoulder as they approached the end of the alleyway.

There was a roar of a hunter’s van turning quickly into the alley, but Anna was quicker. With a collision so hard and loud her teeth rattled, she rammed her bumper against the nose of the hunter’s car, causing it to veer off straight into the alley wall. Her bumper was knocked off the pickup truck as another hunter’s car rammed them from behind, causing Anna to yelp and curse. A gunshot pierced through the back window of the pickup truck, but Anna shifted the car back into drive, and sped off, leaving a trail of hunters right on their tails.

“You could have killed us!” Kristoff snapped, loading more bullets into his gun.

“But I didn’t!” She said gleefully, finally starting to enjoy herself.

“ _You_ ….you didn’t,” he muttered, looking frustrated that she was right. “Just…just keep going! We’re almost out!”

As they approached the border, the streets grew eerily quiet. The road behind them was clear, and the sounds of bullets and screeching cars had faded away. Anna felt her heart stop, and she frowned. “Where did they all go?”

Kristoff put his gun in his pocket and moved away from the window. “They’re going to meet us there,” he groaned, slumping back in his seat. “All of them.”

_Shit._

“It’s okay, we’ve got this!” She said, though her confidence was plagued with doubt.

He gave her a look. “Just…be prepared. This is going to be rough.”

_As if she didn’t already know._  With every second that past, Anna grew more agitated. Her knuckles grew whiter and her breathing hitched. How they were going to make it out of this, she didn’t know, but they had to try.

A glint of yellow flashed against her eyes as the light of the husky sunset hit the school buses lining the barricade. Her heart lurched as the border was now in sight, as well as the hundreds of awaiting hunters. Weapons of every make and kind were aimed at them, and there was nowhere else to turn, nor any other means of escaping.

“FIRE!” Someone shouted, and then the bullets were everywhere; through the hood, cracking the windshield, shattering windows; one even pierced the headrest a few inches away from where Anna’s head was. Glass, metal, and gunpowder filled the air, creating a thick cloud of destruction.

“ _Floor it!_ ” Kristoff yelled, ducking his head.

Anna lowered her head, braced herself, and accelerated straight towards the hunters, ignoring the bullets, broken glass, and shocked curses and exclamations. She tuned out the thud of the men bouncing against her hood and blocked out the sight of blood splattered against the windshield. Her focus was only on getting Kristoff and herself out alive. 

With a great creak and groan, the truck pushed the town car out of their path of travel, giving Anna just enough room to make a run for it. Just as the bullets pierced the truck’s side windows and the hunters rushed towards the car; she slammed her foot down on the gas as hard as she possibly could and soared out of town, her ears ringing and her heart pounding.

Her heart slowed as the concrete, cars, hunters, and crumbling buildings easily faded away into a beautiful forest-lined highway. It took her a moment to process what had just happened, but soon it all came rushing to her; the smell of fresh air leaking through the shot-up windows, her fingers slicked with sweat from gripping the leather steering wheel so hard, the soft glow of the sunset shining in her eyes, the warm streams of blood trickling down her face, and the sound of Kristoff and her own heaving breathing. Completely shocked, she glanced over her shoulder, only to be greeted by empty road.

_They were free._

“W-we did it?” Anna gasped, turning to beam at him. “ _Oh my god!_ We did it! Kristoff! W-we actually did it!”

Kristoff’s eyes were wide, his hair was a ruffled mop, and he looked slightly deranged in the best of ways. He was happier and more surprised than Anna had ever seen him, even more so than when they had fixed the car. “Hell yeah, we did!” He finally cheered, turning to give her what looked like a high-five.

Anna’s eyes widened and she blushed, but that didn’t stop her from taking one hand off the steering wheel to lightly tap his.

His cheeks turned a little pink too, and he looked away, quickly folding his arms across his chest. “So…uh…yeah.”

Anna giggled nervously, gripping onto the steering wheel again. “Yeah.”

They were silent for a moment, both taking in the pure, tender taste of freedom. “Your face is all cut up,” Kristoff finally said, bringing up one thumb to wipe the blood off.

Anna hadn’t even noticed that glass had cut her skin; she was just now starting to register the pain. “My face?” she scoffed, pulling away from him a little. It did hurt after all, even with his gentle touches. “You should see your face! It looks like you got run over by a car.”

He snorted. “Really?”

She smirked a little. “Really. It’s super bad.”

“Well, you’re in charge of fixing it up,” he teased, giving her a nudge. “Good luck.”

Anna shook her head and smiled, finally giving him the nudge she’d been holding back all this time.

The warm sunset faded into a purple dusk as they drove down the empty highway, leaving the hunters far behind and heading onward to whatever new toil they would face. But after what they’d just been through, Anna couldn’t help but think that no matter what happened, they could handle it. After all, they’d just made it out of an entire city full of people who wanted them dead. Now, Anna had a blossoming assurance that no matter what happened, as long as she and Kristoff worked together, they could do this. They could fight, they could thrive, they could win.

They were survivors.


	11. The Promise

**PART 2: Fall**

**T** he road was quiet, but peacefully so. It was worn and broken in some places from years of travel and abandonment, but then again, it was hard to find anything that wasn’t these days. The light hush of the trees filled the air with a sort of calm, mystical manner, interrupted only by the soft crunch of leaves breaking away from their branches, twirling through the air, and landing gently against the damp earth.

A low rumble crept up on the winding, country road, breaking the silence slowly but surely. The road shook as a battered pick-up truck flew past, stirring up clouds of brown leaves that were long since dead. The metal body was riddled with bullet holes and covered in dirt and scratches, but nevertheless it drove down the road at a quick, steady pace.

Anna was reclining in the passenger’s seat of the truck; eyes closed as she took in the fresh autumn air. The sun warmed her skin, and the breeze coming in through the windows gently mussed her bangs. It had been awhile since she’d felt this at peace, like there was no threat of danger, no reason to fret or worry. Surviving in this desolate world wasn’t easy, nor fun for that matter.

She’d been on the run with Kristoff now for…well, she wasn’t really sure. It had to be several weeks at least. It was strange that after leaving the quarantine zone they had no idea what day or week or month it was. Each day faded into the next, and there was no proper way to keep track of it all. The only way to tell time was when the sun rose and fell. All Anna knew was they were in the midst of fall. The trees they drove past glowed with the warmth of the red, orange, and yellow leaves, the sun was going down earlier, and the nights had taken to a ritual chill.

Of course, they’d had to change their clothes; in this weather shorts and a tank top wouldn’t do anymore. Anna had been disgusted by the idea of taking clothes off the bodies they came across, but Kristoff told her it was what they had to do; any stores would be empty after all this time.

Even with the car; they hadn’t made as much distance as they would have liked. The car was very old, and broke down often, which required Kristoff to mutter some sort of profanity, grab the toolbox, and storm out of the driver’s seat to fix it. There was also the ever-pressing matter of getting food. They spent most of the end of summer sneaking in and out of suburban areas, small townships, and farmlands; collecting food and clothes, and avoiding infected and bandits.

It was straining work, some of the things they came across simply tore Anna apart. Anna would never forget the time they found the remains of an older couple in their bed, a gun still clutched in the male’s fingers.

“W-what happened?!” Anna had gasped, backing away from the scene. She had never seen something both so vile and tragic, and it disturbed her greatly.

Kristoff didn’t answer. His face was pale as he stood there, frozen in place, eyes wide and unmoving.

She eyed him apprehensively. “…Kristoff?”

He jumped, suddenly startled by the sound of her voice, as if he was awakening from a sort of trance. “W-what!?” He stammered, looking at her with frantic eyes.

“N-nothing!” She murmured, looking down. “Just…how did they get like this?”

He stiffened, walked over to the bed, and pulled the teal flannel shirt off the woman, leaving her clad in the worn, torn T-shirt she had on underneath. “They took the easy way out,” he muttered, tossing the shirt to her. “Take this, it’ll keep you warm.”

She caught it, trying to keep the look of disgust off her face. “Are you sure you’re okay?” She asked, holding the shirt only by the tips of her fingers.

“I’m fine!” He said quickly, more to himself than to her. “Let’s just hurry up and get out of here.”

Now, as Anna fingered the edge of the same shirt, she couldn’t help but wonder. She knew something had to have happened to Kristoff; something more than just living amongst the bandits in the zone for awhile. She knew loss when she saw it, and Kristoff had to have suffered a lot. She could see it in the way he could be so callous and cold, the way he shut her out whenever she asked about his past, and the way his eyes were always so dull and sullen.

_Everyone, gone. My mother, my father…all because of me. It’s my fault._

She frowned as she mused over his words. What had it meant? Kristoff couldn’t have _murdered them,_ right? No, of course not, that would be ridiculous. He would never!

Though, with sinking regret, Anna couldn’t deny that she hadn’t seen him kill without so much as a flinch. Whether it was a hunter or an infected, he always made it look so… _easy._ She turned to look at him, her brow knit with worry.

He, on the other hand, looked completely content driving through the wilderness. His expression was softer than usual, and he drove the car with one hand on the wheel. He caught a glimpse of her staring at him, and he blushed and eyed her. “What? Is there something on my face?”

She blushed too, quickly turning her head away. “No! I was just…daydreaming.”

He scanned her over, seeming doubtful, but not willing to question her further. “Alright.”

Anna’s eyes darted back to him, and as she took in his profile, full of peace, calm, and security, she couldn’t help but disregard her worries. Kristoff wasn’t a murderer, he was a fighter. In this world, there was a difference. He only killed to keep her safe.

_But what about before her?_

“Can I put in that tape we found?” She asked quickly, already digging into her backpack. Yes, perhaps some music would ease her worries. It always used to when she was young.

He shrugged. “If it works.”

Anna pulled out the cassette tape they’d found in some attic in a Pennsylvania suburb. She had been delighted when she found it, and even more so when Kristoff had agreed to let her take it along. The label said it featured a series of old, country ballads, something Anna in her youth would have hated, but now cherished.

“I haven’t listened to music in  _years_ ,” Anna mused, inserting the tape into the player. “I really hope this works.”

There was a long, grating sound of working parts as the player tried to process the tape. Anna crossed her fingers, praying that the cassette wouldn’t be spat back out at her in a mangled mess. A few more moments past, there was a click, and suddenly the sound of a soothing Southern drawl wafted through the speakers.

Anna gasped, her eyes lighting up. “It works!” She giggled, turning to beam at him.

Kristoff eyed her, a reluctant smile curving his lips. “I can see that. Well, hear.”

She beamed at him, relaxing in her seat and closing her eyes. “That’s much better,” she sighed, taking every note on golden fields and summertime romances to heart.

“I didn’t know you liked country music,” Kristoff remarked.

“Anything’s better than nothing,” Anna snorted, opening her eyes to look at him again. “Why, do you have something against it?”

“Maybe,” he smirked, throwing her a teasing grin.

Anna rolled her eyes at him, but still smiled back all the same. She turned her attention to the window, watching the trees as they flew by. Suddenly, a question crossed her mind, and she turned back to Kristoff, eyes shining. “If you could have anything in the world right now, not including the cure or a person, what would it be?”

His brow furrowed. “What?”

“I would want some chocolate,” she continued, sinking back in her seat.

He gave her a look. “Chocolate?”

She nodded, smiling dreamily at the thought. “Milk, dark, white; I don’t care. I just want some! I haven’t had any in forever!”

He smiled at her in an almost endearing manner. “Out of anything in the world, you want chocolate?”

She smiled proudly. “Yes!”

Kristoff shook his head, fighting back an incredulous laugh. “Alright…I…uh…would want my guitar.”

“Really? You play?”

“No, I just want something comfortable to sleep on at night.”

Anna rolled her eyes and nudged him, giving him an annoyed look informing him that she didn’t appreciate his sarcasm.

“Alright!” He chuckled, leaning out of the way of her touches. “Yes, I play. Well, I used to, before everything went to shit and all that.”

She smiled gently at him, her gaze growing soft. “I bet you were really good,” she said, blushing as the words left her mouth. Did that sound too weird?

He blushed too, turning to glance at her. “I was okay. I mean, I was only 15, so I wasn’t amazing or anything. I doubt I could even do it now.”

“Well, we have to see if you still can!” She insisted. “We have to find you a guitar!”

“Tell you what,” he proposed, turning around a bend in the road, “If you can find me a guitar, I’ll try to play something.”

“Really?!”

He nodded gently, eyes still on her. “Really.”

Anna giggled, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and returned his smile. After escaping the hunters’ town, they’d definitely learned how to work together, and fought less. She was so glad they were becoming friends now, the bickering and loathing had been exhausting, not to mention it’d made surviving a lot harder.

Peeling her eyes away from him, Anna turned her attention back to the road, but by then, it was too late. She had only a second to register that there was a giant tree, lying right in the middle of the road, before she screamed; “LOOK OUT!”

Kristoff swore, the screech of tires filled Anna’s ears as Kristoff tried to avoid the tree, the car swerved, but it was too late. The hood of the car rammed right against the tree; the car flipped, the windshield shattered, a roaring crash filled Anna’s ears, and then everything went black.

☳☳☳

She awoke to the repetitious blare of a car alarm right in her ear. The southern ballad was still playing, but Anna could barely register it, her ears were ringing too loud. There was the familiar feeling of warm blood pooling from her head, legs, and arms, and she felt the sting of glass shards prodding her from all sides.

Anna blinked and slowly opened her eyes. She was still in the truck, or what was left of it. It was flipped onto its right side, her side, and smashed in on several others. The windshield had shattered completely, and the remains of it were scattered everywhere. The world was spinning, her head was pounding like crazy, and blood was streaming from her head down to her cheeks, mixing in with her disheveled hair.

_What had happened?_

“K-kristoff?” She croaked, her voice sounding raspy and faint. She turned to look at the driver’s seat, but it was empty. There was a blood-stain on the upholstered seat, and a few scraps of fabric from where it looked like his jacket had torn.

Her eyes widened as fear and panic took over.  _“Kristoff!”_  She cried out, immediately trying to look for a way to get out of the car. The doors were jammed shut and the windows were all smashed, but she had no other alternative, so she began crawling towards the driver’s seat window.

Her backpack had fallen under the driver’s seat when the car flipped, and she grabbed it, feeling even more anxious when she realized Kristoff’s wasn’t in the car. Gingerly, she grasped onto the windowsill, wincing when she felt a few shards of glass dig into her hands.

Suddenly, there was a croak, and then the horrifying feeling of a rotten, clammy hand snatching her arm. Anna screamed, desperately trying to fight off the clicker that had stuck its decaying head through the broken window. She reached into her back pocket for her gun with shaking fingers, but before she could shoot, someone did it for her.

The shot echoed through the forest as the clicker fell slumped over, its thick, crimson blood pooling into the car. Someone yanked the body out of the way, and Anna was relieved to see Kristoff standing there, holding his hand out to her.  _“C’mon!”_  He snapped, pulling her out of the car once she’d grasped his hand. “They’re everywhere! We’ve got to move,  _now!”_

The truck was completely smashed in thanks to the tree that had fallen across the road several feet away. Throughout the forest, the clicks echoed, getting closer and closer every second. What had to be at least a hundred clickers were rushing towards them out of the woods, attracted to the sound of their crash. Their croaks bounced off the trees as they approached, the earth shook under their feet, and their rotten fungus filled the air with its familiar stench.

Anna and Kristoff started running, abandoning the truck and taking off into the vast forest. The clickers shrieked, turning towards the sound of their footsteps and chasing after them. Kristoff had his gun gripped in one hand and her hand in the other, guiding the both of them through the woods.

Anna and Kristoff raced through the forest, jumping over fallen logs, weaving in and out of trees, and avoiding scraggly tree branches and bushes. But no matter how fast they ran, it wasn’t enough; their heavy breathing and hard footsteps only acted as bait to the infected. The clickers remained right on their tails at all times, thrashing their arms, running sporadically, and croaking angrily. The smell of coppery blood oozing from their wounds plagued the air, as well as the rich, earthy scent of the cordyceps rotting away their bodies.

“ _Faster!”_ Kristoff hissed, his voice right in her ear.

Anna whimpered and nodded, clutching onto his hand tightly as she pushed herself onward.

The distance between them and the infected was decreasing by the seconds. There was no where to go, no buildings to duck into; nothing but trees for miles and miles around that passed by in an orange blur.   
Anna had no idea where they were going, all she knew was that she couldn’t stop moving, not even for a moment: it would mean her death. So even though her heart was about to burst, the glass shards were digging into her skin, and she wanted nothing more than time to just  _freeze,_ she ran.

Kristoff spotted a massive rock formation next to a hill several feet ahead, and pulled her towards it. Once they were near it, he fired a shot straight in the opposite direction and turned sharply into a cave that was hollowed into the side.

They both ran forward into the darkness, not stopping until they were several feet in.

Anna fought to keep silent as she heard the clickers rush past the cave, croaking and shrieking angrily as they headed up the hill, in the direction of where the gun had fired at.

Once it was quiet, Anna finally let out her breath, feeling like she wanted to collapse. “W-we did it…” She whispered, gasping for air.

But she spoke too soon.

Her heart stopped as the shadow of a lone clicker stumbled towards them down the cave, clicking warningly. It seemed to be the only one who had followed them in, but it was still enough to make her stomach drop.

Kristoff’s eyes widened in shocked horror. However, he was still able to remain silent, turn to Anna, hold a finger to his lips, and start backing up, deeper into the cave.

Anna followed his lead, trying to make her steps as small and quiet as possible. Her body was shaking wildly and heart was pounding so loud, she was surprised it couldn’t be heard from miles away.  _Just stay calm,_ she kept telling herself,  _Stay calm and it won’t hurt you!_

The clicker seemed agitated as it followed them further into the cave, its own croaks seemingly confusing it as they bounced off the small space. Anna had to tell herself to look away; this one was especially gruesome-looking. From the weak light filtering into the cave she could see the fungus had sprouted all over its body, emerging from its arms, legs, and chest. It had dried blood on its pasty skin and around the edges of its mouth.

Far too soon, they’d reached the back of the cave, and there was no place else to run. Anna’s eyes widened as the clicker grew closer. They were trapped! She turned to Kristoff, eyes pleading for his help, but he only shook his head, holding himself as still and as silent as he could against the wall.

The infected slowly crept closer, croaking quietly and ominously. It headed right towards where Anna was standing in the shadows, as if it knew exactly where she was. Anna bit her lower lip and held her breath as tightly as she could, trying to stop herself from collapsing in fear.

Next thing she knew, it was right in her face, peering at her blindly. Anna could see every infected pore, every bit of skin ripped apart by the cordyceps, and the root of every fungi sprouting from its head. It was less than 6 inches away from her, clicking as it tried to make sense of its surroundings. Any minute now it would step forward, feel her, and attack. Anna held back a sob and closed her eyes tightly, preparing for the worst.

The silence was suddenly shattered by the sound of a woodpecker nearby, which seemed to incite the infected as it suddenly croaked, turning abruptly towards the sound. The woodpecker drilled off again, and with a loud shriek, the clicker ran out of the cave and back out into the woods, leaving them shocked in the silence and darkness.

Anna slowly opened her eyes, still trying to process what had just happened. Her heart was pounding hard in her chest, and she was still shaking all over. “I-Is it gone?” She whispered, her voice faint.

Kristoff’s face was pale, but he peered down into the cave, listening for any sign of disturbance. “I-I think so,” he replied after a moment, his voice revealing that he was just as shaken up as she was over what had just occurred. “I think we lost them all.”

Anna sighed in joyous relief and slumped back against the cave wall. Her mind was spinning so much she was surprised she hadn’t passed out by now. She’d obviously come in contact with near-death experiences before, but that was like nothing she’d ever felt before. Death had looked her right in the eye, all it would have taken was one bite, and she would have been infected right now. But by some divine intervention, she was still here.

_Thank God._

“A-are you okay?” Anna whispered, turning to look at Kristoff. Her eyes were adjusted to the darkness of the cave by now, and as she scanned his face she could clearly make out the bruises and cuts on his face. He looked pretty beat up from the crash, but then again, she probably didn’t look so great either.

Kristoff nodded, though still not able to look her in the eye. “Don’t worry about me,” he said. “It’s just…uh…good that you’re okay.”

Anna gave him an incredulous look. “How can I not worry about you? We were just in a car crash, and almost got infected! We’re lucky to be alive right now.”

He snorted. “Honestly, we’re always lucky to be alive, no matter where we are or what we’re doing.”

He had a point.

“Still…” Anna mumbled, though she found that she really had nothing else to say. Her eyes averted down, and she realized that after all this time, she and Kristoff were still holding hands from when he’d pulled her out of the car. They both had sweaty palms and white knuckles, and Anna hadn’t even realized how hard she’d been clutching his hand until now.

Kristoff seemed to now notice this too, as he suddenly pulled his hand away quickly with flushed cheeks. “Oh…uh….we should set up to camp for the night,” he said, voice an octave higher than usual.

Anna blushed, laughing nervously as she wiped her hand on her pant leg. “Okay…Where?”

“Here,” he shrugged, looking around the cave. “It’s dark, quiet, and protected from being out in the open. We’ll just have to take turns keeping watch for infected.”

“Alright,” Anna nodded, running a hand through her hair. “I’ll…uh…start unpacking our things then.”

“Great - you can wait here while I try to get us some firewood and food.”

Anna’s eyes widened. “But the infected are out there!”

He gave her a reassuring smile, something that stopped Anna right in her tracks. “I’ll be fine, just wait here, I need you to protect this place.”

Anna sighed. “Fine. But if you’re not back here in an hour, I’m going to hunt you down and make you regret it.”

He snorted, turning to walk out the cave. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Anna hesitated for a moment as he walked away before finally bursting out his name. _“Kristoff!”_

He paused and looked over his shoulder at her curiously. “What?”

She hesitated, shuffling in place awkwardly as he stared at her. “It’s just…we lost the car, we’re still over a thousand miles away, stranded in the woods and left to face the clickers…What’s going to happen to us?”

He was silent, his face scrutinizing, but eyes revealing that he held the same worries too. “We’re going to be okay,” he reassured her, and to her surprise his voice was so soothing and sure she couldn’t help but believe him.

Nevertheless, she stepped forward, and looked him right in the eyes. “Promise?”

He took a breath and met her gaze, and in that moment, Anna would have believed him if he told her the world was flat. His voice was calm and soothing, and his eyes were full of a sincerity she’d never seen from him before.

“Promise.” 


	12. The Learning Curve

**A/N:**  This entire chapter is shameless fanservice I’m not even sorry  
  


**I** f Kristoff was right about anything, it was that Anna definitely didn’t know what it was like to really camp, at least, not until recently. Now that they’d lost the car, the rest of Anna and Kristoff’s journey would have to be on foot; which meant late nights sleeping on the hard, cold ground, meals consisting of roots and berries, and shivering around campfires at night. Now that they were heading west, the terrain was getting more vast and difficult to travel on by foot. They had to stop for rest and recuperation often, something Anna wouldn’t mind if Kristoff didn’t always complain about how much it slowed them down.

It was all pretty disheartening, but by far, the worst part about camping wasn’t the food or the cold or the travel. Yes, those factors were annoying, but not flustering and downright embarrassing.

The worst was thebathing. Anna would never forget the time she accidentally walked in on Kristoff doing just that in the river. He had told her he’d be right back, though after 20 minutes she grew worried. She went looking for him, but what but she found hadn’t been what she’d expected.

Kristoff had been standing up to his hips in the rapids, scrubbing himself down with the gently rushing water. He’d had his back turned to her, and a pair of old boxer shorts on, but that didn’t stop Anna from squeaking and hiding behind a tree in embarrassment.

_He hadn’t seen her, had he?_ No, he couldn’t have. He would have said or done something! Her heart was fluttering in her chest, and she closed her eyes, trying to catch her breath.  _Just walk back to camp,_  she reassured herself,  _just go back and pretend this never happened._

She nodded, and began to move away from the tree.

_But…_

Anna hated herself for peeking; but she couldn’t help it! She’d never seen someone so well-built and so, so shirtless before, at least not in real life. She was curious! One little glance wouldn’t hurt her.

She quickly learned she was very, very wrong.

It had been quite warm on that sunny day, and when Kristoff turned to face her, her heart dropped in her chest. She could see the sun shining on his golden, freshly washed skin, smooth hair slicked back by large, calloused hands, and most of all; well-defined muscles dripping with water, leaving trails down from his pectorals, to his smooth stomach, to the little blonde hairs peeking just above his waistline, to the wet boxers that clung tight against his hips, leaving almost nothing to the imagination…

_Wait what!?_  What was  _wrong_ with her!? This was Kristoff! Kristoff, her….well, she didn’t even know what to label him as. Either way, he was definitely not someone she should be gawking at or getting all hot and bothered over like she was now. Feeling lightheaded, she quickly ran back to the camp, her heart pounding wildly.

When Kristoff had come back to camp, hair still damp, and asked if everything was okay, her cheeks had turned a bright crimson and she’d just barely managed to chirp a shrill, “Fine!”

He eyed her. “You sure?”

She blushed even harder, unable to look him in the eye. “Oh yeah! I’m totally fine! Are you fine? Because you look really clean and…uh…fine! Not like  _fine,_ but good! And just good, not like, sexy or anything-”

His eyes widened, and he grimaced. “Sexy!?”

Anna then squeaked, jumping up from her spot and running down to the water. “ _Nothing!_  I didn’t say anything! I’m shutting up and going to wash up now bye!”

All in all, it was one of the most embarrassing moments of her life. Afterwards, neither had been able to look each other in the eye for a week. She tried to bring herself back to that state of loathing him she’d maintained when they first met, for even that would be better than this new, awkward feeling she felt. She didn’t even know what it was, it was just that as they spent more time together, she felt…better around him. He wasn’t so grumpy all the time, and it seemed like he was actually starting to view her as a partner instead of some girl he had to babysit.

Nevertheless, it didn’t matter how nice he was to her. She wouldn’t allow herself to explore these new feelings, no matter how tempting it was. And truthfully, she couldn’t fully stress how tempting it was. One night, in the depths of autumn, she’d found herself nearly freezing in front of the campfire. Even with her coat, she couldn’t stop shivering.

“I caught a fish!” Kristoff said as he came back from the river, waving it proudly. “It’s a small one, but it’s better than more of those berries.” When he saw her predicament, he paused and eyed her cautiously. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah!” she smiled, her teeth chattering, “It’s just a little br-breezy tonight!”

He rolled his eyes, not buying her chipper attitude. “Here.” He set the fish down on a log before removing his jacket, walking over, and dropping it over her shoulders. “That should help.”

Anna smiled and immediately buried herself in it, taking in the warmth of its faux-fur lining. It definitely was helping a lot - she was starting to feel better already. Kristoff had been lucky to find a coat as nice as this - it was made of sturdy leather, good for being in the outdoors, and had a soft fleece collar. Anna closed her eyes, burying her nose in it.  _It even smelled like him…_

Her eyes snapped open, and she immediately yanked the coat off, glaring at him as if she was angry. She couldn’t go there - she wouldn’t allow herself. “I don’t want your gross coat!” She snapped, crossing her arms across her chest. “It’s…gross.”

“Alright!” He exclaimed, holding up his hands in surrender. “No need to get angry! Next time, I won’t try to help you.”

She hesitated, but kept her ground, turning her nose up and looking away from him. “Good.”

“But when you get hypothermia, it’ll be your own fault.”

She snorted. “Sure.”

But after another hour of feeling like her toes were about to freeze off, she stormed up to him, held out her hand, rolled her eyes at the knowing smile he gave her, and fell asleep in the warmth of his coat.

☳☳☳

“I think you should learn to hunt,” Kristoff said one afternoon after yet another meal of roots and wild berries.

Anna frowned. “Why? You’re the one who always handles that stuff.”

“Well, it’s getting colder out, and it’ll be harder to fish, considering we don’t have the proper tools. Not to mention it’s just the two of us out here. If something was to happen to me-”

Anna tensed, cutting him off instantly. “Don’t talk like that,” she ordered. “You promised you’d always protect me.”

“I know, I know,” he insisted. “But it’s still important. I’m not going anywhere, it’s just…I need to make sure you’ll always be able to fend for yourself.”

Anna looked down at her feet. She still didn’t like the tone in his voice, it still reminded her that anything could happen to Kristoff at any time. She didn’t want to even consider what she would do if she lost him. Even though things were still awkward between them, she’d reached the point where she did care about Kristoff, in more than just a survival-partner sort of way. He was kind of her friend now.

Anna didn’t like the idea of killing animals either, even if it was for her own survival. Eating a slimy fish and eating a cute, furry creature were very different experiences. But Kristoff seemed set on making sure she learned this. “I guess I could try,” she finally mumbled, still unable to look at him.

He smiled. “Good. I’ll help you learn, it’s really not that hard.”

Anna held back her snort of disbelief. It seemed like everything came easy to Kristoff - hunting, fishing, driving, shooting - while there was nothing left for her to do, other than driving, which was useless now that they’d lost the car. Even though Kristoff may have respected her more, she knew she was still a weight he had to bear. She wanted to help, she wanted to contribute, but she just didn’t know how. Maybe hunting would finally be her time to shine.

Feeling invigorated by the thought, she quickly finished eating, packed up her things, grabbed her gun, and marched over to him. “Let’s go!” She exclaimed, pulling him up by the arm. “I want to start now!”

“Alright!” He chuckled. “Just calm down. You’ll scare all the animals away before we even start.”

“Sorry,” Anna blushed, but she was still ecstatic deep down. This was her chance to prove to Kristoff that she wasn’t just a burden, and that she could be as strong as everyone else.

It was a rather beautiful day, one perfect for hunting. The weak fall light filtered through the trees, lighting up the orange and yellow leaves in a fiery array. The air was crisp and cool, and for the first time in a long time, Anna felt like she could finally  _breathe._ Maybe it was the fact that they hadn’t seen any clickers in a few days, or that she was finally starting to appreciate the beauty of the nature around her. While the urban areas bore the scars of disaster and turmoil, the forests hadn’t changed. The trees still grew, the bird still sang, and the rivers rushed on. It was like a snapshot of what could have been, captured from times lost long ago.

They’d found a bow and a few arrows amongst the remains of a survivor camp somewhere in Ohio, and Kristoff now handed them to her. Even though the coast had been clear lately, nothing drew the infected closer and faster than the crack of a gun. When hunting, Kristoff explained, silence was imperative.

“Ready to learn?” He now asked, slipping the quiver over her shoulder.

She smiled at him. “Ready as I’ll ever be!”

Even though Anna had entered this endeavor in high spirits, they quickly plummeted. Within 15 minutes, both she and Kristoff she had to be the most horrid hunter there ever was. Her biggest problem seemed to be keeping quiet; every time they spotted an animal, she’d sneeze, cough, gasp, or trip over her own feet. Each time Kristoff would groan and curse, while she would smile sheepishly.

“Sorry….” She’d mumble as they watched the animal race away.

“Just pretend it’s a clicker, or a hunter,” he would say each time. “If you make any sounds, you’re done. The only difference is that you’re not the one being tracked down.”

“Right!” She’d nod, and while she promised to do better the next time, it wasn’t until the 10th squirrel she chased away that she finally started to improve.

After learning the approach, Kristoff then taught her how to aim the bow. And of course, that had to be done by doing the  _thing_ again; the thing where he guided her arms, placed his hands over hers, kneeled beside her, and whispered his instructions in her ear, voice low, determined, and husky…

Anna _had_ to think of a way to get him back for all this. The amount of stress he was unknowingly putting her under was horrendous, nor was it fair! When they were close like this, _he_ was never the one blushing and flinching and trying not to giggle. He never got caught gazing into her eyes. It was she who got chided for her strange behavior.

_Stay focused!_ She practically screamed at herself.  _You can’t like him!_ If she did, things would be even more awkward and uncomfortable than they already were. Because there was no way he would ever think of her that way. But the way he was holding and speaking to her enticed her. It was so weird and wrong but yet, being in his arms felt so right.

The combination of her horrible skills and flustered demeanor amounted to a day wasted. Despite Kristoff holding her arms and telling her when to fire, her arrows would always miss their mark and would wind up landing in a tree, scaring off whatever they were aiming at. Anna seemed to manage to hit everything  _but_ her target, actually.

“This is hopeless,” Anna eventually mumbled, pulling away from him and slumping her shoulders. “I don’t know why I’m even trying - we both know I’m not good at anything.”

Kristoff frowned, turning to look her in the eye. “Anna…you know that’s not true.”

She scoffed. “Yes it is! If it wasn’t for you and Elsa, I’d be dead by now. Growing up, Elsa was so protective, I never had to do anything on my own! Even after the outbreak hit, she was always doting on me. I loved her, but I never got the chance to learn anything…And now I’ll probably get infected because of it…”

Kristoff placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look him in the eye. “Anna, you drove us out of that hellhole of a hunters’ town, you figured out how to fix the car, you’re the one that even noticed the garage in the first place.  _I_ wouldn’t be here without you. You can do so many amazing things, you just need to figure out what they are. And…maybe hunting isn’t one of your best skills.”

Anna blushed, and she felt her heart soar at receiving a genuine compliment from him.  _Amazing things?_ “You really think so?”   
He nodded. “I know so. But, that doesn’t mean I’m going to let you quit either. I’m not giving up on you. This is stuff you need to know. Even if it takes us years to learn it, I know you can do it.”

Anna groaned and slumped her shoulders. “What about my hidden potential and amazing abilities? The non-hunting ones!”

“C’mon,” he smiled, removing his hand from her shoulder and scanning the area. “We still have about an hour before nightfall, maybe we can still try to catch something.”

Anna pouted. “I’d rather not.”

“At least let me show you how it’s done,” he smirked, beckoning for her to follow him further into the woods.

Anna rolled her eyes. “ _Cocky!”_ She whispered, covering it up with a series of fake coughs.

He gave her a look, though it wasn’t full of genuine annoyance like the ones he’d given her so many times before, back when they first met. “I’m not cocky.”

“Of  _course_ you’re not!” Anna nodded, her eyes wide and voice dripping with false sincerity. “Why would anyone ever say that about you?”

Kristoff rolled his eyes, but smiled. “Whatever, you say, feisty.”

“Feisty?!” She gasped. “How am I feisty!? You’re feisty! I’m not feisty!”

He chuckled and smirked at her. “Sure you’re not.”

She crossed her arms, tossing him a perturbed pout. “Let’s just go catch dinner.”

The sun was already setting below the horizon. The trees cast looming shadows across the forest floor, and the sounds of the night wildlife was softly filling the air. They searched the forest for close to half an hour before they discovered a lone rabbit, grazing among the grass.

Anna pouted as Kristoff got out the bow. “Do we have to?” She whispered.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured back, and when he turned to look at her, Anna knew he truly was.

She had to look away as he took the shot, flinching when she heard the sound of the arrow hitting its mark.

Kristoff ran over to the rabbit, gently removing the arrow from its body. “This never starts being fun,” he muttered, slowly walking back towards her.

Anna scrunched her nose, trying to ignore the churning in her stomach. “Remember when you could just go to grocery stores?” She sighed, “Or restaurants? You didn’t have to dig through trash bins or kill animals - you could just go and get food! Whenever you wanted!”

“Well,” Kristoff grunted, moving the rabbit to one hand and hoisting his backpack up with the other, “You’ve just got to learn to work with what you got. And right now, we have the forest, and this rabbit.”

Anna’s heart froze, and she blinked up at him with a gentle smile. “That’s…uh…what my parents used to say. And Elsa…Well, minus the rabbit and forest part, obviously.”

He paused and turned to her, his gaze gentle and inquisitive. “Really?”

She beamed at him and nodded. “Yeah.”

Kristoff smiled back at her, and while it was a rather touching sentiment, it wasn’t until that moment, in which he stood there, bright-eyed, holding a bloodied bow and arrow, a dead rabbit, and sporting the prominent beginnings of a beard that Anna realized he looked slightly crazy. She hesitantly smiled back as she scanned his face, trying to look for a way to salvage the situation.

“You…need to shave,” she decided, “You look homeless.”

He eyed her. “That’s because I am homeless. We both are.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. It looks bad. I mean, not that you look  _bad,_ because you’re still quite…uh…good-looking with facial hair. But you look better with it shaved! Because right now you look like you kind of just crawled out of the woods. And what if you grow a beard and it gets stuck in a branch when we’re running from clickers? I don’t want to have to pull you out - it’d probably hurt! Not to mention it wouldn’t be fun, either.”

He eyed her, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. “You think I’m good-looking?”

“No!” She glared at him. “I mean…I just…I wasn’t…just let me do it!”

He smirked. “Do you even know how?”

“Yes,” She smiled, lying through her teeth. “I mean, how hard can it be?”

He still didn’t look convinced, but her innocent smile and doey eyes seemed to do the trick. “Fine,” he sighed, heading back towards camp. “Just be careful and don’t maim me.”

Anna giggled, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she walked. “I’ll try not to.”

☳☳☳

The firelight glowed against Kristoff’s face as Anna sat before him, cupping his cheek gently. “Alright,” she whispered, her voice unable to hide her nervousness. They were sitting less than a foot apart, if Anna had leaned in just a bit more their noses would have been touching. Kristoff had lit the fire and skewered the rabbit so he could roast it over the flames. As much as the sight disgusted Anna, the smell of meat cooking drifted through the air, causing her eyes to flutter and her stomach to rumble.

Taking the knife into her hand, Anna scraped it against the side of his face, gently shaving the tiny hairs away. As she cut away, she revealed scars that had most likely come from him trying to do this himself in his younger days, and she smiled softly at them.

Kristoff breathed slowly and evenly, as if she had rendered him still using only her gentle touches and soft cuts of the blade. He moved his head at her command, tilting his jaw up, down, left, or right when needed.

When she came to further down his jaw, she pressed the blade down too hard, and nipped his skin. A tiny dot of blood blossomed on his jaw, and they both winced.

“ _Careful_ ,” Kristoff said, pulling back a little.

“Sorry!” Anna cupped his cheek more firmly, wiping away the blood with her thumb. “Do you want me to kiss it better?” She teased.

He rolled his eyes. “No thank you.”

She leaned back in, her breath ghosting across his nose. “Just sit still, I’m almost done.”

He sighed, but did as he was told and closed his eyes. “Don’t expect this to be a regular thing,” he murmured, being careful not to move too much of his face while he spoke. “Sorry, but your barber skills are not impressive.”

Anna snorted. “Well, if you’re not going to do it, someone has to.”

His eyes moved to her as she continued to work, and to her surprise, he actually smiled at her. It was small, polite, and reserved, but Anna could still feel the gentleness behind it. It made her face flush, but she tried to hide it; focusing solely on the fair hairs that adorned his jaw.

This was definitely not helping her budding feelings for him - or whatever the fluttery feelings in her chest were called. Sitting this close to him, she could see every freckle on his cheeks (and even a few on his chin), the unusual little crook in his nose, and the slight chap in his lips. He smelt like pine needles and campfire smoke, and she instinctively leaned closer, wanting to take in every last moment of it.

She felt like she was in some sort of trance, and before she knew it, she was finished.

“There,” she whispered, running her fingers over his now smooth skin.

“Thank you,” he mumbled, his cheeks turning even redder in the light of the fire.

Their eyes met, and Anna felt her heart skip a beat. He wasn’t smiling or frowning, but rather just  _staring_ at her. His brown eyes that were usually so sullen now had a hint of warmth and curiosity in them, as if the image of her sitting before him, timid and nervous, was fascinating to him. His gaze seemed to be piercing right into her inner being, and Anna had to look away for the sheer intensity of it.

“I-I think you should check on the rabbit,” she whispered, pulling away from him.

He paused, still staring at her a moment before finally nodding, and standing back up. “Right…”

She looked to her feet, chewing on her lower lip as she tried to ignore the racing of her heart. This, whatever it was, was happening too fast. One minute she was hating him, the next they were some awkward definition of friends, and a few weeks later, she was feeling…she wouldn’t let herself admit it. If she did, then she could ignore it. She could act like it wasn’t there, and hopefully, with time it wouldn’t be.

She sat in silence as he prepared the rabbit, only speaking to mumble a ‘Thank You’ when he handed her some pieces of meat.

He sat across from her on another log, digging into his meal quickly. Anna smiled as he moaned happily, closing his eyes and taking in the fresh juices of the meat. “I am so tired of all those fucking berries,” he said, causing Anna to giggle.

“Thank you for doing all this,” she said. The meat was rather good; the hardest part of eating it was making sure she didn’t remind herself that her dinner was a former cute woodland creature.

They spent the rest of the meal in silence. It was calming in a way, but also slightly spooky. Any minute Anna was expecting to her the croak or scream of the infected, but there was only the hum of the crickets, the rustle of the trees, and the crackle of the flames.

They finished the rabbit quickly, ending the meal feeling far more satisfied than they had in quite a long time. Anna watched as he trickled a bottle full of river water over the flames, dousing them only slightly. As the smoke and steam filled the air, she examined his frame; lean, muscular, and adorned with scars. It was those signs of past injury and pain that made her think back to that line again, the one he shouted at her, the one she just couldn’t get out of her head.

She wanted to know what had happened to him. What had caused him to be so bitter about the world, to be so reluctant to let anyone in? The way he’d been so mean to her when they first met, and the way he flipped out on her whenever she asked about it.

She needed to know, and she needed to know now.

“Can I ask you something?” Anna asked, eyeing him cautiously.

He shrugged. “I guess.”

Anna hesitated and fingered the cuff of her jacket. “What was life like for you? What did you do when the outbreak hit?”

He stiffened, and with that singular sentence, Anna could feel the tension ignite in the air like a fresh match. “It’s none of your concern.”

She curled her fingers, digging her fingernails into her palms. She wouldn’t give up, not this easily. “But you said you were the reason your parents were gone! And you won’t even tell me anything about it! That kind of causes me to wonder-”

“It’s. None. Of. Your. Business.”

“But it is! I’ve been honest with you! You know what happened to my parents, I told you! And you don’t even have the courtesy to do the same! And whenever I ask about anything that happened to you, you clam up and get mad at me! Do you know how frustrating that is? I mean, for all I know, I could be traveling with a crazy person or a murderer!”

He stood up quickly, eyes blazing. “I’m not a murderer!”

“Then why won’t you tell me!?” Anna exclaimed, standing up as well and stomping her foot for emphasis. “I’m worried about you Kristoff! I feel like-”

“I don’t give a damn what you feel like,” He snarled, “Just stay out of my business!”

And with that, he stormed off into the night, leaving Anna in the light of the dimming ashes.


	13. The Savior

**12 Years Earlier**

**K** ristoff burst through the shed door, slammed it behind him, and padlocked it shut. He could still hear the screams of the infected echoing through the vast fields as they clawed at the fence surrounding the plot, and he shook, tossing the hunting rifle out of his hands and onto the dirt floor.

He couldn’t stop his body from shaking, or the tears from pouring down his face as he crumpled to the ground, breaking down into thick, heavy sobs.

_What had he done?_

He could still hear the screams, the shattering of glass and wood, their pleading, and the two gunshots. He didn’t know if there would ever be a time he wouldn’t remember it, but it honestly didn’t matter. All he could focus on right now was the pain; the sharp, stabbing, excruciating pain that was tearing him up inside and consuming him.

Ever since the infection broke out a year ago, his life had slowly begun crashing down around him. Food, clothes, medicine, and other ordinary house supplies he once took for granted were now almost impossible to come by, and living out on a farmhouse, 1 hour away from the main town, only made things worse. While it kept them separated from the chaos and infected, it left them to thrive solely on their land and livestock.

From Day 1, his parents had wanted to flee to the city, but Kristoff always disagreed. “The entire city is full of infected!” He would exclaim, pointing to the newspaper or TV as evidence. “You’ve seen the news! The numbers are going up where there’s a more condensed population! We’re safe here, away from everyone else. And on top of that, I don’t know if you two would be able to endure the journey.”

As hard as it was to say, it was true. His parents were well aged; after years and years of failing to have a child of their own, they’d adopted him, and Kristoff was thankful for it every day. Living with them made up for all the abuse and bullying he’d received from his fellow foster kids back at the foster home. They’d given him the happiest childhood any kid could ever have. However, ever since the infection struck a year ago, his parents’ age that Kristoff once admired for the wisdom and kindness it brought turned out to be a curse. His parents weren’t strong enough to travel, let alone to face hordes of infected. At most, they could move about the farm and perform their daily duties, but he knew that going into town, where sickness, riots, and disaster ensued, would be a nightmare.

“Are you sure?” His mother would ask, her brow knit with worry. “We could take the truck.”

“I’m sure, Ma,” he nodded, coming to sit beside her. “I want us to stay together, and safe. It’s too risky out there.”

So they stayed. Kristoff took care of them, building fences around the plot, keeping up with the animals, taking the truck out to the outlying general stores and pharmacies, and fighting off the infected if need be. It worked well for that first year; Kristoff had even thought that they were safe, that they could thrive spend the rest of their days here.

But he was still only 16, a child, and he had been wrong, so, very wrong.

They’d been sitting around the dinner table one evening, ready to eat the can of baked beans Kristoff had scavenged from the general store up the road. The windows had been boarded up, but it wasn’t strong enough to stop the infected from bursting through; wailing, shattering glass, splitting wood and clawing into the living room.

His mother had screamed, and Kristoff raced into the hall to retrieve the hunting rifle his father had given him, but it was already too late. By the time he managed to shoot all the intruders, his parents already had deep bites in their sides, arms, and necks, and could barely get off the floor due to the blood loss.

_“NO!”_ He’d gasped, crumpling to his knees beside them. “ _No, no, no!_ A-alright, I’ll help fix you both up, we’ll clean out this wound and get you some antibiotics-”

“K-kristoff,” His father whispered, “It’s too late...it’s already spreading…”

Kristoff’s heart dropped, and he hunched over their forms, fighting back sobs. “ _N-no it isn’t!_ You’re going to be okay! I’ll fix this! You’re not going to...to…you’re...”

His mother reached out a shaking hand and placed it over his. “I-It’s okay Kristopher. Y-ou’ve been so s-strong...but there’s only so much you can d-do...Just...Y-you need to go to the city, find someone to take care of you, and s-stay safe!”

He shook his head, the tears now pouring down his face. “N-no! I can’t l-leave you!”

She grasped his hand tighter. “I know, b-but...please, Kristoff...m-make this easy for us. D-don’t let us turn into one of those monsters...”

His face paled. “Ma...I can’t. I won’t!”

His father nodded. “We’re sorry Kristoff.”

He shook his head, cried out in protest, insisted there was another way, but it was no use. They had their minds made up, and deep down, Kristoff hated the thought of either of them turning into a mindless, fungi-covered mutant. He’d seen it happen to so many others; friends, family, neighbors; he didn’t want it to happen to them too.

They said their goodbyes, told him they’d always love him, and gave him one last hug.

He was covered in blood, had a rifle in hand, and vision blurred. The farmhouse was deathly quiet in those last few moments, so quiet every ragged breath Kristoff took seems to make the walls tremor. He gripped the handle with white knuckles, fingernails digging into the slick wood of the handle.

Kristoff had spent the years afterwards suppressing what happened next.                      

☳☳☳

He sat on a rock that was perched near the edge of the stream, his face buried in his hands. There was a ringing in his ears that was ebbing slowly away to the sounds of the crickets chirping their melancholy melodies and river water washing by. The water misted his face, and he recoiled further into himself, gun clenched in shaking hands.

He couldn’t stop reliving it. For the past decade, not a day had gone by where he didn’t see their faces when he closed his eyes, or hear their screams when the night was still. And now, after what happened with Elsa, it was only getting worse. More nightmares, flashbacks, and dark truths…

_“This was your idea! Elsa never would have wanted to escape if she hadn’t talked to you! If it wasn’t for you, she’d still be alive!”_

He couldn’t tell Anna - she’d blame him for everything. After all, he was the reason his parents and Elsa were dead, no matter how many times he tried to convince himself otherwise. _He_ shot them, _he_ convinced Elsa that they should run. How would Anna ever be able to look at him the same way after that? If he still couldn’t forgive himself, there was no way she’d be able to.

When they’d first started this journey, he hadn’t cared what she thought. He’d wanted to do this expedition alone, and for a clear reason; he didn’t want anyone else’s blood on his hands. But now...now he wasn’t so sure. The way Anna had looked at him tonight, her eyes warm, soft, and comforting, had almost convinced him that maybe it was okay to finally open up to her. After all, her parents had gotten infected too, maybe, just maybe, she’d understand...

His eyes widened. In his frustration, he hadn’t realized that he’d left Anna completely alone and unguarded, in the middle of a forest full of infected, no less. She could be under attack at this very moment; crying, screaming, trying to fight back...

His heart leaped into his throat as he jumped up from his spot and sprinted back to camp. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, and his throat seemed to have clammed up so tightly he could barely breathe. _Please let her be okay, please let her be okay!_ He couldn’t believe how stupid he’d been. If she was hurt, it would be his fault all over again.  

He stumbled onto the campsite, now quiet and dark as the fire had fully extinguished. There were no clickers to be seen, but it was too dark to see if she was there too. “Anna?” He whispered, peering around in the darkness.

To his relief, he finally saw her curled up in a ball near the fire pit, gun grasped tightly in one hand and fast asleep. Her brow was knit in a frown as she slept and there was dirt smudged across her little nose from wiping her hand against it. He wondered if she’d been crying, as there were light trails in the dirt on her cheeks.

Kristoff sighed in relief, though an immense feeling of guilt set quickly over him. He’d left her all alone, _again_ , after Elsa had ordered him to take care of her. What if she had gotten bit? He wouldn’t be able to end her suffering, not again...

He shook his head, trying to shake the lingering bad memories. Anna was safe, he still had a chance to make things right.

Even though she was asleep, she was shivering, so he walked over to her and gently laid his coat over her tiny form. _“I’m sorry,”_ he whispered, so low Anna wouldn’t have heard it even if she was awake.

The warmth of the coat seemed to do her good, as her lips curved upward and she snuggled closer to it.

Kristoff pulled his gun out of his back pocket and moved to sit a couple feet across from her, never tearing his gaze away from her sleeping form. Lying there in the grass, she looked so small, innocent, and vulnerable. He knew she was getting stronger, but she still had a lot more to learn. _Especially hunting,_ he thought with a smirk, thinking back to her disastrous attempts earlier that day.

The forest was silent as he watched her, interrupted only by the sound of an owl flapping his wings off into the night, and the wind whispering through the trees.

She probably hated him. He did. After all, his hands were already coated in the blood of so many people, and Anna could have been one of them. And then what? All because of his frustration he’d come back to find her, mangled, bloodied, infected, or even worse.

He needed to stop running from his problems - it only put Anna in danger. And he couldn’t stand back and let her die. This time, he wouldn’t fail. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe, no matter the cost.

Because if he lost her, he’d be more alone than he’d ever been before.

☳☳☳

Anna awoke the next morning to see Kristoff snoring a few feet away from her, his gun still in his hand and his coat (to her surprise) on her.

She scowled and looked away, still bitter from the night before. They’d been having such a nice day together, and then he just _had_ to ruin it by being mean and yelling at her. What was his problem? She’d already opened herself up to him - back when they still had the car, she’d confessed to him one night what had happened to her parents. She had been willing to be his friend, to put everything on the table and start fresh, but it seemed like every time she did, he just pulled away and retreated back into his old, bitter self. She didn’t understand what she was doing wrong.

She decided she just had to move on. She was on this journey to get a cure, and live her life in peace, not to foster some sort of relationship with him. She was distracted enough as it was, and she didn’t need any extra worries.

Anna got up, tossed his coat to him, and started on making breakfast; a combination of wild berries and herbs. Today was a new day, and things would be different. She could sense a change coming, and whatever it was, she was willing to face it.

The sound of her moving around woke Kristoff a few minutes later, and he sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “Morning,” He said, moving his gaze to her.

She was silent.

He eyed her. “Is something-”

“Here’s your food,” Anna interrupted, grabbing his hands and shoving a handful of berries in it. “Eat it.”

He looked confused at her demeanor, but did as she ordered. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said stiffly. “Let’s just get ready and head out.”

He looked concerned, but nodded and said nothing more to her for the rest of the morning.

Anna knew she was being rude and cold to him, and that doing so was slightly hypocritical, but she couldn’t help it - she was hurt! All she wanted was for this drama between them to end once and for all, but he didn’t seem to care.

They packed up camp in silence, and continued heading west. As much as Anna hated the quietness, for the first time she found she didn’t know what to say. On one hand, she just wanted to shove her hurt feelings aside and go back to when she had those butterflies in her chest and her heart on her sleeve, but the other part was tired of constantly being pushed away; it hurt too much.

After about an hour of hiking, Kristoff seemed to have had enough of her passive-aggressiveness. “About last night…” He began, walking closer to her.

“Forget it,” She cut him off, starting to walk further away from him. “It was no big deal.”

He followed her. “I can’t just forget it! Look...I’m...I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to you, I just...I don’t like talking about my past, that’s all.”

_That’s an understatement._ “I know, I get it,” she said coolly, though inside she felt disappointed that he still didn’t trust her. What was it going to take to get through to him? “It’s none of my business, you like to be left alone; I’ve got it. I won’t bother you anymore.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but evidently gave up and looked away, his face forlorn. “Fine.”

An awkward tension hung between them for the days following. It took some time, but Anna eventually forgave him, as she knew that Kristoff just had to tell her about his past when he was ready. She contemplated whether or not she even wanted to know; whatever it was has clearly jaded him and left deep scars, it had to be horrible. But even though she was able to get past his secrecy, she still didn’t know how to break the ice between them. She hoped it’d just thaw with time, but nothing was certain.

They traveled onward, each day becoming shorter than the next.  Near the border of Indiana and Illinois, they found an old radio tower and station full of a few supplies but most importantly, a portable radio itself.

“Does it still work?” Anna asked, leaning over Kristoff’s shoulder as he examined it.

“I think so,” he said, pulling out the batteries they’d found with the supplies. “But I don’t know if these will.”

“What would we even listen to?” She asked, relieved to finally have something to talk to him about.

“Before I went to the school, I hung around with some bandits in the zone.”

_Yes! This was progress!_ “So that explains why you’re so rugged,” she teased, trying not to show how pleased she was inside.  Finally, she was learning some backstory.

He smirked and rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Anyway, they taught me some stuff. A couple years after the infection broke out, this group called the Fireflies - you’ve probably heard of them - starting recruiting members that fought to bring peace.”

Anna frowned. “The Fireflies?”   
“They say they’re fighting to ‘bring light to the darkness,’ or something like that. Anyway, a few of them started broadcasting over the radio, reporting on what’s going on in the rest of the country. I don’t know if it’s still going on, but it doesn’t hurt to try…”

“Well, we’ve been hiking all night,” she sighed. “Let’s just take the radio, and find a place to camp.”

Kristoff agreed with her, and they left the tower. By the time the sun had risen in the sky, they found a nice clearing to rest in. Anna took a nap while Kristoff continued to tinker with the radio, cursing and muttering vows of frustration under his breath. The sound made her smile, and she closes her eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.

A few hours later, she awoke to the sound of him cheer.

“I got it!” He beamed, beckoning her over.

Anna smiled and rushed over to him at once. “Really?”

He nodded and grabbed her hand, pulling her down beside him. “I think this is it.”

The radio sounded old and scratchy, but even a good device wouldn’t have gotten good reception out here in the woods. It was better than nothing, that was for sure.

_“-no further details are available. Another group of Fireflies was gunned down in Boston today after an attempted break-in to the state’s capitol building...”_

Anna frowned. “Why are they murdering them? I thought they were fighting for peace?”

“Because they’re going against the new martial law, and want to release the country from the military’s control. And of course, the government doesn’t like it.”

_“Riots in the 3rd Sector of New York are at an all-time high as food rations are becoming strained, the military will be sending reinforcements to assess the situation.”_

“I’m sure that will go well,” Kristoff muttered, rolling his eyes.

_“Devastation still plagues the state of Connecticut in the aftermath of the military-authorized bombing of more than 20 Southern cities. There are still no reports of any survivors. More riots are breaking out over the controversial decision, but the military refuses to respond to allegations of injustice.”_

Anna’s heart dropped. “What?”

She couldn’t believe it: her beloved hometown, the place she’d grown up in, bombed to smithereens. No survivors. _What about Elsa’s body?_

Kristoff shook his head, looking disgusted. “I can’t believe they actually did it.”

Anna bit her lip, feeling worried. “We should have told other people about the

bombing,” she said, turning to look at him, “Then maybe they could have made it out too.”

“That only would have caused more riots, and a panic,” he said, turning the radio off. “We probably would have all been killed.”

Anna sighed shakily, trying to keep her emotions under control. “I guess...it just still doesn’t feel right. It’s not fair.”

He looked at her, placing one hand on her shoulder. “It’s not, and I’m sorry for that. But we’re safe, and that’s what’s important now. No more focusing on the past, alright?”

The last part he clearly said more to himself than her, but Anna disregarded this and nodded. “Right...”

“Good,” he said, tugging on one of her braids affectionately. “Let’s pack up and head out, you’ve gotten your time to nap, and we still have a lot of hiking to do today.”

Anna smiled gently. “Alright...just let me just get my things.”  

They came out of nowhere. Anna was just going to lean down and grab her backpack when she heard the shriek. Next thing she knew, a group of 10 or more clickers and runners had flooded the clearing, drawn over by the sound of the radio. Their bodies thrashed wildly as the ran, their screeching and wailing echoing through the trees.

_“Shit!”_ Kristoff gasped, scrambling for his gun.

Anna yanked her gun out of her back pocket, and began firing at the horde, desperately trying to remember everything Kristoff had taught her. _Control - aim - notch - ?_ There wasn’t enough time for all that! She managed to take out a few infected, but she quickly ran out of bullets, as did Kristoff. There were just so many, and while Anna tried to fight them off, it was no use, they rushed towards her, screeching angrily.

_“KRISTOFF!”_ Anna cried, backing up and hitting a tree.

But it was too late. Kristoff’s gun had been knocked out of his hand, and as much as he tried to fight the clicker off, he was knocked over and fell onto the ground. He the clicker he’d been fighting lunged towards him, ready to strike.

Anna screamed and cried out his name again, but she knew it was pointless. She was out of bullets, he’d lost his gun, and there were just _so many…_

This was it. Anna sobbed his name one last time, squeezed her eyes closed for the bite, braced herself, and-

Gunshots. Through the pounding in her ears she could vaguely hear them spraying across the clearing, taking out infected left and right. The bullets flew by at an alarming rate that sounded just like the machine guns the military used to have. One bullet hit the clicker in front of Anna, causing it to shriek in pain and crumple at her feet.

And then, it was all over. Anna’s eyes blinked open as she took in the scene before her. All of the infected were sprawled out on the ground lifeless, their blood staining the browning grass.

She turned to Kristoff, but to her surprise, he hadn’t been the one to save them; he was still lying back on the ground, the body of an infected beside him, looking as shocked and confused as she was.

_Then who-?_

Anna heard footsteps coming towards her, and she froze, turning to look up at the mysterious stranger who’d saved them.

And to her shock, standing there in front of her was the most handsome man she’d ever seen in her entire life.

  



	14. The Prince

**A** nna blinked up at the stranger, her heart still pounding. She’d never seen someone so _handsome_ before. His face was clean-cut and freshly washed, unlike her own grimy one. He had neatly brushed auburn hair, regal sideburns, and green eyes that were glued directly on her. He had on a nice gray coat, black hunting gloves, and a rifle slung over his shoulder. He was like someone out of the teen magazines Anna used to collect when she was younger, or even better - he was like a prince, or a knight! A noble knight swooping in to-

“Are you alright?” He asked, holding out a hand to her.

Anna blinked at him, his question shaking her from her daydreaming. She looked to his hand, then to him, then to his hand again. “Oh! Uh, yes! Well, not really actually. Because I kind of just almost died, but it looks like you saved us! I mean, you did save us. Which was totally chivalrous and amazing and thank you!”

He smirked, taking a hold of her hand and pulling her onto her feet. “You’re welcome. I’m Hans, Hans Westergaard.”

Anna smiled shyly at him. “I’m Anna Bell.”

Kristoff was still sprawled out on the ground a few feet away, unharmed. Once Hans began to talk to her, he scowled, grabbed his gun, and ran over to stand beside her. “Yes, thanks for the help,” He said, words stiff. “But we’re fine now, so you can go on your way.”

Hans gave him a tight smile. “And this is-?”

Anna blushed. “This is Kristoff! My...uh...Kristoff!”

Hans held out his hand again. “It’s nice to meet you, Kristopher.”

Kristoff ignored the welcoming gesture. “It’s Kristoff.”

Anna gave him a questioning look. _What was his problem?_ He was acting so cold, for no reason!

It didn’t seem to bother Hans. “What are you two doing out here all alone?” he asked, voice full of concern. “You know this woods is full of infected, right?”

Kristoff stiffened and placed a protective arm on Anna’s shoulder. “Yes, we know. We’re just heading West for some...personal business.”

Hans raised a doubting eyebrow. “Really?”

He didn’t blink. “Really.”

Anna nodded in agreement with Kristoff. Even though Hans was very handsome, and seemed very nice, she knew that they couldn’t go around telling just _anyone_ about the cure. They needed to get to it before anyone else did, as Kristoff had stressed countless of times.

“So, how did you find us?” Anna asked.

“I was out here hunting,” he explained. “And when I heard your screams, I just couldn’t sit back and let two people die in front of me.”

Kristoff muttered something under his breath, but Anna chose not to listen and instead gazed at Hans dreamily. “That was very _noble_ of you,” she gushed.

Hans threw her another dazzling grin. “You’re welcome.”

She blushed again, his gaze sending shivers down her spine. Even though they’d just met, Anna felt like there was some sort of unspoken connection between them. Every time he looked at her, her heart would skip a beat and her cheeks would turn pink. She’d never believed in love at first sight before, not truthfully, but now…

“I live out in these woods,” Hans continued, “About 30 miles north of here. I lost my parents when the infection hit, so I was forced to rely on my own means. Now I run an abandoned campground, and live off the land. I have plenty of food, supplies, and medicine; and I wouldn’t mind sharing some with you, if you need it.”

Anna grinned. “Really, you would do that for us?”

“Of course! It looks like you two have endured a long journey; you could use the extra help.”

Anna looked at Kristoff, who was still seething. She was more than willing to agree to this act of kindness, but by the look on Kristoff’s face, she couldn’t help but hesitate. “Can you, uh, give us a minute?” She asked, smiling up at Hans sweetly.

He smiled back. “Of course, Anna.”

Before Anna could act, Kristoff grabbed her hand and pulled her a few feet away, out of earshot of Hans.

Anna huffed in defiance, but let him take her into the brush. “Alright,” She demanded, planting her hands on her hips. “You’ve been acting weird ever since he showed up. What’s up?”

“I’m not buying it,” Kristoff muttered, eyeing Hans suspiciously. “He seems too good to be true. And that little ‘rescue’ of his was far too convenient. Who just shows up out of nowhere, and just happens to have a magical campground full of supplies?”

Anna gave him an incredulous look. “He saved our _lives_ Kristoff! Without him, we’d be dead right now! I believe him! Besides, if he wanted to hurt us, why would he go through all the trouble of saving us? He would have just let the clickers get us!”

“It doesn’t matter! Anna, we can’t trust him, we barely know him!”

Anna crossed her arms. “Yes we can! You’re just jealous that he saved us because it hurt your man-ego!”

Kristoff scoffed. “Man-ego? That doesn’t even make sense!”

“Yes it does, and I’m going with him! We need supplies! The ones we got from the radio tower won’t last until winter!”

“Remember the last time you wanted to trust someone? We wound up in a town full of fucking crazy people!”

“Well, this is different! I can feel it!”

“And you’re sure this ‘feeling’ has nothing to do with the fact that you can’t stop drooling over him?”

Anna’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly as she struggled to find something to say. “I-I’m not drooling!” She snapped. “I was just being nice to him! Unlike you, I don’t need an attitude adjustment!”

“Attitude adjustment!?”

“You haven’t known him for 10 minutes and you already hate him!”

“And you’re already obsessed with him!”

“Am not!”

“You so are.”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“Whatever! It doesn’t matter! Just trust me on this! If he turns out to be okay, then we get supplies that we need, and move on. If he turns out to be crazy, it’s 2 vs. 1, and we’ll be able to handle him! I know how to use my gun now!”

Kristoff scowled at her for a moment, trying to think of a counter argument but coming up short. “... _Fine_. But if he hurts you, I’ll-”

“Put a bullet between his eyes?” Anna finished with an eyeroll. “Whatever. But he won’t do that, I trust him. Isn’t that enough?”

He eyed her. “I don’t really trust your judgement.”

Anna’s eyes narrowed, and she opened her mouth to retort when Hans cut her off. “Have you made your decision?” He called out. “It’ll be nightfall before you know it.”

Anna turned her back to Kristoff and walked over to Hans. “Yes, we’re coming!”

Hans smiled at her, instantly making all her frustration and anger towards Kristoff melt away. He really was so handsome, and even better, he seemed to like her! The way he was smiling at her, and the way he then took her hand in his made her heart flutter and soar with excitement. _He had to feel something for her, right?_ “I’ll lead the way,” Hans said gently, pulling Anna off and down the trail.

Kristoff followed close behind, clearly still perturbed. “Great,” he muttered, “What could _possibly_ go wrong?”

☳☳☳

As they traveled back to his camp, Anna learned a little more about Hans. The infection had hit when he was 17, making him 5 years her senior. He’d traveled all the way from the Southern States, and had been settled here for years.

“That sounds just like what my sister wanted to do,” Anna sighed. They’d spent the whole day walking, and the sun hung low, making the sky a rich, purple and indigo hue. “Find a nice place, settle down, and just...be happy.”

He looked at her. “Where is she now?”

Anna felt her heart clench. Even though it had been over 3 months, it still hurt her terribly to talk about it, even more now that the news of the bombing hung in the back of her mind. “She...she was killed,” she murmured, though the answer didn’t seem to do the horror of the event justice.

Hans stopped in front of her, his expression one of shock. “I am so sorry,” he whispered, cupping her cheek gently.

Anna looked away, the familiar stinging sensation returning to her eyes. “Yeah...well, she was amazing...I just miss her sometimes…”

Hans was silent for a moment as he scanned her face, thinking, pondering. “I’m sure she’d be very proud of you,” he said softly. “You’ve made it so far.”

Anna nodded, smiling at him through her oncoming tears. “Thank you, Hans.”

He nodded, rubbing a gloved finger over her cheek. “Of course.”

Kristoff cleared his throat from where he stood a few feet ahead of them. “Are you two coming?” He asked.

Hans shook his head. “It’s getting late, we should rest for the night.”

He looked like he wanted a reason to argue, but evidently there wasn’t one. “Fine,” he said, “But Anna, you should come with me for firewood.”

Anna pouted. “I’d rather stay here, with Hans. You can handle yourself.”

He scanned her face, and Anna was surprised to see a flash of hurt, not bitterness, in his eyes. “If that’s what you want,” He finally said, and took off on his own.

Anna bit her lip and looked towards her feet. A tinge of guilt weighed heavily on her heart, and as much as she tried to push it aside, she couldn’t shake the image of that pained look in his eye. Maybe she’d just imagined it. She had to have. He didn’t have any feelings for her, they were just friends, partners, nothing more. Why would he be hurt over her wanting to spend time with Hans? Exactly, he wouldn’t.

_Right?_

“Well, let’s get settled in,” Hans said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “It’s been a very long day, and you need your rest.”

She nodded, trying to bring her focus back to Hans. “Yes, thank you. You’ve been so nice, and just...thank you.”

He laughed softly, eyes moving over her figure absentmindedly. “You’re welcome.”

 _His laugh was so nice,_ Anna mused as she prepared herself for bed. _Just like everything else about him._

She knew things, whatever they were, were moving fast between them, but for once, she didn’t really care. She just wanted to learn more about him and spend more time with him and get to know who he truly was. And as she drifted off to sleep that night, she couldn’t help but smile as she planned on doing exactly that tomorrow.

☳☳☳

They awoke the next morning and had a light breakfast. Hans provided some jerky he had brought in his backpack, something Anna and Kristoff were happy to welcome as a change of pace.

Throughout the morning, Anna tried to find a moment where she could talk to Kristoff alone about what had happened last night, just to make sure he wasn’t hurt or angry, but it seemed like Hans was always right beside her, talking to and complimenting her. Anna honestly didn’t mind it that much, and after several failed attempts, decided that she would just have to converse with Kristoff another day.

They continued hiking, following the river North. Hans speculated that they might have to stop again this evening, but that they would certainly be at his camp by tomorrow morning. A part of Anna couldn’t help but feel crestfallen by the news. After they got the supplies from Hans, they’d have to part ways, and Anna may never see him again. She loved spending time with him, he made her laugh, smile, and feel _beautiful._

Some time in the afternoon, they passed by a waterfall, average-sized but still quite impressive. It rushed into the stream below, splashing up against rocks and reflecting rainbows from the midday sun. The mist danced through the air and fell against her face, both rejuvenating and refreshing.

“It’s beautiful!” Anna gasped, taking in the sparkling, clear water. The falls were flowing rapidly and invitingly, and she couldn’t help but sigh wistfully. “I wish we could go in…”

“Then we will,” Hans said simply, sitting his backpack down on the shore.

Anna looked over to him with wide, disbelieving eyes. “Really?!”

He shrugged. “I don’t see why not. We have some time to spare.”

“I don’t see how this is going to help us get supplies,” Kristoff remarked bitterly, folding his arms over his chest.

“But it looks like so much fun!” Anna gushed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “And besides, we’ve been hiking for awhile, we deserve a break!”

Kristoff turned his focus to Hans. “I thought you said this woods was full of infected?”

“Well, since you’re not coming in, I’m sure you’ll do a wonderful job of keeping watch for Anna and I,” he smiled, patting Kristoff hard on the back.

Kristoff glared at him, but did not respond.

Hans removed his shirt, causing Anna to blush and look down, though she wasn’t quite as flustered as she’d been when she caught Kristoff in the river. _He was still completely amazing,_ she thought dreamily, squealing as he dove into the lake.

“Are you coming?” Hans called out to her once he resurfaced.

Anna smiled and nodded. “Hold on!” She unbraided her hair before unbuttoning her jacket and handing it to Kristoff. “Can you hold onto these for me?” She asked as she started to pull down her pants.

Kristoff’s eyes widened, and he adverted his eyes away quickly. “Wh-what are you doing?”

“I don’t want to get my clothes wet!” Anna said, pulling the edge of her T-shirt down so it covered more of her boyshorts underneath.

Kristoff rolled his eyes, sat down on a rock near the shore, and sighed. “Fine. Whatever.”

Anna readied herself before breaking off into a run, throwing herself off the bank and into the water below.

She was engulfed immediately. Rushing bubbles filled her ears and her hair fanned out around her, lazily moving in the water. Goosebumps prickled her skin as she realized it was a lot colder down here than she’d expected, though she didn’t really mind. Things felt so much more clear and peaceful down here - all her troubles were drifting away and disappearing like the fragile bubbles she made as she took deep, steady breaths. Underwater plants tickled her feet and off in the distance, she could see what had to be Hans’ legs as he swam toward her.

Feeling mischievous, she swam underwater towards him, trying to stay as silent as she could be - something she was much better at in water than on land. Springing out of the water, she cheered and splashed him, causing Hans to jump in surprise.

A flash of a scowl crossed his face, but it quickly faded into a bashful smile. “There you are,” he simpered, “I was looking for you.”

Anna beamed at him. “Well, you found me! Actually, I found you. I just saw you underwater and thought it’d be fun to surprise you! And it looks like I did; you should have seen your face - you practically jumped a mile!”

He chuckled. “What can I say, you’re a handful.”

Anna blushed. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, it’s nothing to be ashamed off,” He said, voice cool and soothing. “Let’s just enjoy this time together.”

Anna nodded eagerly. “Please! This feels so nice!” She splashed Hans again, laughing when he sputtered and smiled at her. A playful fight between them ensued as each tried to spray the other with more water, but in the end, Anna was laughing too hard to do any real damage.

She turned her gaze to the shore, where Kristoff sat on a rock, watching. “Come on in Kristoff!” Anna called out, waving happily at him. “It feels _amazing_!”

His eyes narrowed, and he continued to sulk. “I’m good, thanks.”

“Don’t worry about him,” Hans smiled, coming up beside her. “We’re having enough fun on our own.”

Anna blushed and giggled. “Yeah!”

“Is he always this...depressing?” Hans continued, wrapping an arm around her waist.

Anna blushed even harder. She was turning so red so often, this had to be some kind of record for her. “N-no!” She stammered, pulling away from him only slightly. It felt too weird to be so close to him, especially in their current state of dress. “He’s just grumpy today. He can be really nice, when he chooses to be. Which, I guess he isn’t choosing to now because he keeps grouching about everything and snapping at me which he only used to do back when we first met, because he thought I was like weird, or something. Which is weird because I thought he was weird too because he always looked so pissed off and he still kind of does sometimes but now we’re kind of friends now and-”

“I see,” Hans interrupted, raising up one hand to stop her. “Well, we should just give him his space then.”

Anna nodded. “Yes, maybe that’s best.”

Hans swam even closer to her. “So, what would you like to do first, darling?”

Anna felt her heart flutter at his term of endearment, but kept a cool stance, pretending to be deep in thought. “I would like...to race you to the waterfall!”

Then, without so much as a warning, she took off, swimming away from him quickly.

Hans called out in protest, but chased after her with a mischievous grin on his face. They reached the falls in no time, and luxuriated in the rushing water, letting it fall on their heads and wash over them.

“This is amazing!” Anna sighed, blushing as Hans wrapped his arms around her waist.

“So are you,” he whispered, giving her a knowing smile.

Anna looked away, her cheeks red in nervousness. “You’re so cheesy,” she laughed breathily, though inside she was leaping for joy. “Let’s swim around some more!”

Hans smiled. “Alright.”

They spent the next two hours delighting in the joy of the falls. Anna hadn’t had this much fun in years. The water was crisp and refreshing, soothing old wounds and scars, while the sun was pleasantly warm on her back. She felt like a kid again, splashing in the river with her sister, without a care in the world. Hans would guide her and twirl her through the water in elegant, smooth motions, and in those moments she felt like she was almost flying.

After it was a little over two hours, they both grew tired, and agreed that it was time to head back. Hans however, wanted to stay in a little longer, to clear his head, he explained, and she headed back to the bank alone.

Anna sighed happily as she lifted herself back onto the shore. She had needed that, she thought. Simple pleasures were hard to come by in this world, and she’d learned to treasure every one of them.

As she lifted herself, she realized her undergarments and T-shirt clung to her wet body quite tightly, and she was secretly happy Hans was still busy in the stream as she knew she was currently more scantily clad than what was probably appropriate.

She got on her feet and bent forward to shake her hair out, trying to get rid of all the excess water. Once it felt right, she slowly straightened back up, slicking her hair back with her hands. The water on the rest of her body was still slowly dripping down her skin, leaving trails from her hips all the way down her legs. She peered around the area curiously, her lower lip tucked into her mouth, trying to find her pants.

Her bubbly feelings towards Hans had apparently clouded her judgement, as she’d completely forgotten that Kristoff had been sitting there the entire time. By the time she realized, she was greeted by the image of him staring at her with wide eyes, his mouth slightly agape.

Anna’s eyes narrowed, and she instinctively covered herself. “What?”

His entire face flushed bright red, and he looked away quickly. “N-nothing!” He insisted, a slight whimper in his tone.

Anna eyed him, walking over to her pants, still in his hands. She snatched them up, walked a few feet away, turned her back to him, and bent over to put them on. _Hopefully she hadn’t done something embarrassing,_ she thought as she jiggled herself into her jeans, a task hard to accomplish with wet legs.

She heard Kristoff give off another whimper, something that caused her brow to furrow further. “What is it with you?” Anna scowled, turning to face him again once her pants were on. “Stop whining and whimpering! It’s your own fault you missed out on the fun of the waterfall! Maybe next time, you should actually come! Then you wouldn’t feel left out!”

Kristoff blinked at her, dumbfounded. “That’s not...you know what, nevermind. I...uh...you hit the nail on the head. I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll...er...join you.”

Anna stared at him. “Good.”

“Is everything alright?” Hans asked, pushing himself back onto the shore.

Anna and Kristoff eyed each other, an unspoken tension hanging between them in the air. “Yeah, everything’s fine,” Anna answered, pulling her gaze away from him and towards Hans.

“Well, now that you two have that out of your system, we need to get going,” Kristoff said curtly. “How much farther is that camp of yours?”

“About 15 more miles,” Hans answered. “But we should rest up tonight, and finish tomorrow. I’m assuming you two will want to continue on once you get those supplies, so you’ll need a lot of rest.”

Anna felt her heart sink again. She kept forgetting that tomorrow would be their last day together. Even though they’d only known each other for a short time, the pain of saying goodbye was already so strong. “Yes...we’ll need to get going…”

“Then it’s settled,” Hans went on. “Let’s find a place to rest.”

Anna agreed, but Kristoff seemed to be desperate for some sort of authority in the situation, and requested that he be the one to find a place for them to rest. Hans complied, and an hour later, they were nestled on a little enclosure near the river. There was a small cave that would be good for sleeping in, and a little clearing they could use as a fire pit.

Over a dinner of more jerky and roots, Anna had never felt livelier. Kristoff was sitting on a log on one side of the fire, while Anna and Hans shared a seat together on the other. Anna was bursting with jokes and stories to tell Hans about her early life. She might have been a little too enthusiastic, however, as upon talking about how she and Elsa used to go ice skating in the wintertime, she splayed her arms out too far and accidentally smacked him in the face.

It was humiliating, and she could have sworn she heard Kristoff snigger, but Hans had simply brushed it off and smiled. He was such a good sport like that, and a good listener. Like Kristoff, he didn’t talk much about personal affairs, and settled for listening her go on and on about everything and anything she could think of. It was nice knowing he was so invested in what she had to say.

They talked until the fire went dim, all while Kristoff sat and watched, his face in one hand and a bored look on his face. He didn’t speak until Anna was in the middle of talking about how when she was 5, she used to plant chocolate bars in the ground to see if a chocolate tree would grow. It was then that he stood up, yawned, and stretched. “As _fascinating_ as this night has been, it’s late, and I’m tired.”

Anna paused, turning to look at him. “Oh! Okay! Well, goodnight! Hans and I can keep watch!”

“Right. Goodnight,” Kristoff muttered, going over to lie down by the mouth of the cave.

Hans eyed him, and once certain that Kristoff was resting, took Anna’s hand. “C’mon.”

Anna hesitated. “Where are we going? I didn’t get to finish my story!”

He gave her a strained smile. “It’s okay, Anna. You can tell it to me later. I just want to do something else.” Without another word, he stood up, fingers still intertwined, and guided her several feet away, down closer to the stream.

They sat together on a fallen log, knees brushing together as they sat side-by-side. Hans still held her hand as they sat in silence, reflecting on the day that had passed. Anna was still slightly puzzled over why he took her here, but tried not to worry about it and play along. Besides, the night was so beautiful, it was hard to worry about anything.

One of the few things Anna loved about traveling on foot was that at night, she could see thousands of stars and constellations every night. In the city, the air had been clogged with gunshot smoke, diesel fuel from military trucks, and sweeping lights that examined the city. But out here, everything was crystal clear, and oh, so close. The stars shone so bright, it almost looked as if Anna could reach out into that black abyss and pluck one of her very own.

“Did you enjoy yourself today?” Hans finally questioned, turning to look at her.

“Yes!” Anna gushed. “It was wonderful! I mean, even though all we did was swim, it was so much fun! I felt so carefree and...and _happy_!”

He leaned closer. “I’m glad then.”

Her cheeks turned pink. “I-I am too…”

He looked her over again for a moment, as if he was trying to think of what he should say next. Anna always felt so shy when he did this, it was as if he was examining her under an eye as thoughtful and precise as a microscope. What he was looking for in her, she didn’t know, but she hoped that he would find it.

“You know, you really are a special girl, Anna,” Hans finally smiled, running his thumb over the back of her hand.

Anna blushed. “Thank you,” she whispered. She had never felt so _noticed_ before. Hans was staring at her so intently it was like no one in the world mattered more than she did. _If only Kristoff liked her the way Hans did…_

Wait, what? No! She couldn’t be thinking about Kristoff, not now. Hans was nicer, and sweeter, and dreamier, and just _better._ Kristoff had never stroked her hand like this, or gazed into her eyes like this, or called her such sweet words before. Hans was clearly better for her than he was; Hans actually cared.

“Well, it’s getting late, we better get our rest,” Hans murmured, giving her hand one last squeeze. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Anna shook herself out of her troubled thinking and put on a good face. “Right! We have a lot to do tomorrow. And just thank you again for doing all this. I know Kristoff may seem like he doesn’t care but I know he does. He’s just stubborn. And we’ve been out here for so long already and we do need it, really. And you’ve been so, so, nice. And you look nice too, which makes things even better! So...yeah!”

Hans smirked, choosing to ignore her rambling. “Goodnight, Anna,” he said firmly, pressing his lips against her cheek.

Anna blushed right into her hairline, her face tingling where his lips were. “G-goodnight…”

He gave her a knowing smile and winked at her before walking back inside the cave.

Anna waited until he was gone before letting out an elated squeal. _She couldn’t believe it!_ He’d actually _kissed_ her! Well, almost. It was close enough to one. Her heart burst into thousands of fluttery butterflies, her mind was spinning, and she felt like she was floating on air. He _had_ to like her back, why else would he have kissed her?

She smiled happily and looked towards the stars. Finally, after months of pain, struggle, and strife, things were finally starting to change.

☳☳☳

Hans winked at Anna, pleased to see how easily it made her face light up, even more than it had when he’d kissed her. _She really did like to smile a lot..._

With a final wave, he turned his back to the girl and walked past Kristoff’s sleeping form and deep into the cave. The cool darkness of the enclosure greeted him, and he sighed contently. After a day of working so much, both mentally and physically, he needed a break.

Once he was sure that no one could see him, his smile faded. _God, she talked too much,_ Hans thought with an eyeroll. It was so frustrating to have to stay with them, to always smile and nod and agree to every ridiculous thing that came out of her mouth. _And that partner of hers had the mannerisms of a brute,_ he added with a scowl _._ He could barely stand being within 5 feet of him - he was always pouting or mumbling or complaining about something or the other. _But that could be easily fixed,_ he assured himself, and once disposed of, getting to Anna would be simple.

As he readied himself for bed, Hans couldn’t help but laugh under his breath. The way she’d smiled at him, the way she’d so readily agreed to accompany him, the way she was practically throwing herself at him - he had her wrapped around his finger already, and all it’d taken was a few shallow compliments, smiles, and words of concern. The endgame was in sight, it wouldn’t be long now.

_This was going to be so easy._

 


	15. The Choice

**A** nna awoke the next morning, still feeling bubbly. After she’d calmed herself down the night before, she’d gone to sleep in the cave, and was more than happy when Hans had laid beside her. Nothing had happened, of course, but it had still felt amazing to have his arm around her as she drifted off to sleep.

Now, she gently peeled herself away from Hans and skipped out of the cave, already wide-awake. The fall morning was cooler than usual, but the sky was a bright blue tinged with fading streaks of pink and orange. She saw that Kristoff had awoken already, and was currently washing his face by the river. Humming under her breath, she went to join him. “Good morning!” She chirped as she knelt beside him. “Isn’t it a beautiful morning? The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and everything is just wonderful!”

He gave her a look. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Oh, nothing!” She sighed, bending over to splash water onto her face. “I’m just happy today, that’s all. It’s not like anything _special_ or _amazing_ happened! “

He rolled his eyes and smiled at her. “Please, even this is more chipper than usual for you. Just spit it out already.”

She blushed. “Oh...I dunno if I should…”

“C’mon,” he poked her playfully, “I can tell you’re bursting to tell someone. And I know if you don’t tell me now, you’ll be smiling and giggling like a crazy person for the rest of the day.”

“Okay, fine, I’ll tell you!” She burst, giggling with the glee of sharing her secret with him. “After you went to bed last night, Hans took me down to the river, and we talked some, and then...then he _kissed_ me! It was only on the cheek, but it was a kiss! An actual, real kiss!”

Kristoff stiffened, his smile fading. “...Oh.”

“And it was wonderful and amazing and I think he likes me! He has to like me, right? Why else would he kiss me? You usually only kiss people you like, right?”

He looked down, drying his hands on the hem of his shirt. “I don’t know. Maybe. It’s not really my business.”

She eyed him. “Can you at least _fake_ some enthusiasm? I thought we were friends! You should be happy for me!”

He snorted. “Friends. Right. Well congrats. I’m _sure_ he likes you.”

She frowned. “You sound sarcastic.”

Silence.

“Kristoff?”

“Whydo you care about what he thinks?!” He suddenly snapped. “So what if he likes you!? Who cares!? After today, you’re never going to see him again!”

She scowled at him, his words feeling like a punch right to the gut. “How do you know that?”

“You really think he’d want to have a long-distance relationship with you?” He snorted. “In a world with no internet or postal service?”

“We’d work something out! I know we would! He’d be willing to do it for me!”

He stood up, eyes dark and blood boiling. “He doesn’t really like you! He can’t!”

She rose too, fists clenched. “Yes, because the idea of someone ever having feelings for me is completely ridiculous!” She snarled, sarcasm oozing from her tone. “But you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you!?”

“It’s not that!” He insisted, stepping closer to her.

“ _Then what?”_ Anna hissed, leaning in even closer.

He hesitated, and one falter was all it took to send his wall of anger crashing down. The darkness in his eyes faded, and he visibly shrunk and averted his gaze lower. “He just can’t, okay?” He mumbled. “You met him less than two days ago, it’s too soon.”

Anna stared at him, her chest heaving from anger. Whenever he let his guard down like this, it startled her. Seeing that raw vulnerability in his eyes was so rare, and she never knew how to handle it. She stopped for a moment, collected herself, and when she spoke, her words came out more bitter than angry. “Says who? We...we have something. I can feel it.”

Her words hardened him again, and he straightened back up, turning his gaze away from her. “Whatever.”

Her eyes narrowed, and suddenly, the fury she’d been holding back for so long came bursting forth will full force. “It is _not_ ‘whatever!’ I finally have a chance at something, and I have a right to take it! I’m tired of sitting around, waiting for someone who won’t let me in! I spent too many hours hoping you’d notice me and it never worked! No matter how much I tried to be nice, or even civil, we just pushed each other away and the one moment I thought we had something, you just took off and left me! Just like that! And you still won’t tell me why! And I just wanted to see if you were feeling whatever it was that I was but it looks like you never were! So of course I’m going to go to Hans! He gives me everything I wanted _you_ to!”

He froze, blinked at her. “He...You...you what?”

She stared back, cheeks heating up as she realized what she’d just admitted. “I...I…I’m sorry! I didn’t...It was n-nothing! I k-know you would never...”

He was silent for a moment, eyes scanning her face as he processed words. Then, he leaned closer to her, not too close, but enough for her to know that he was being sincere. “Anna...I...I have to tell you something.”

She stopped babbling. Her heart skipped a beat. “Y-yes?”

He was quiet again, and the only sounds to be heard were the rushing water of the river, the rustle of the trees, and the beating of her own heart. Everything had slowed, and it was if the words he was to say next mattered more than any she’d heard before. She wanted to know, she _needed_ to.

He looked into her eyes, blushing, hesitating, hand slowly reaching towards hers. “Anna, I-”

“Good morning,” Hans interrupted, coming up from behind. He had a pleasant smile on his face, and placed a hand on Anna’s shoulder, drawing her attention to him. “Did you sleep well?”

She stared at him blankly, mind still reeling over the wonder of what Kristoff was going to tell her. “Hans! You’re awake!”

He smiled. “Clearly.”

Kristoff’s eyes narrowed as he gave Hans an exasperated glare. “Great,” he muttered, pulling his hand away from Anna’s. “Perfect timing.”

Anna blushed and quickly put her hands back in her lap, fidgeting in place awkwardly. “Yeah…”

Hans paused and looked between them. “Did I interrupt something?”

Kristoff glanced at her. “No, it was nothing.”

Anna looked up at him. _Really?_ Was that all it’d been to him? Nothing? Then again, maybe she had gotten her hopes up too high. Maybe he was just going to tell her that there was dirt on her face or that he wanted her to go get breakfast. That was a lot more likely than anything she could have hoped for.

“Well, we should get going,” Hans continued. “We should be back at my camp before noon, then you can get your supplies, and still have time to be on your way.”

“What about breakfast?” Anna asked.

“You can have it there, I have some game from the last time I went hunting that would be better than anything we can scrounge up here.”

She nodded. “Good thinking; that sounds like a plan.”

“I’ll start packing up camp then,” Hans said, and he walked off again, leaving the pair to deal with the awkward tension between them.

She needed to focus; she couldn’t let her emotions spiral out of control. But it was so _hard._ Once Hans left, she got those fluttery feelings back and Kristoff was _looking_ at her again and his cheeks were pink so she was certain hers were too and she had a sudden urge to just leap into his arms and-

“Well! Let’s get going then!” She said quickly. “Did I clean up my face okay? It’s not still dirty or anything?”

He looked her over for a second. “You...uh...missed a spot,” he mumbled, “Here.” Then, he leaned forward, wiping the grit off with a slow, callused thumb. The action made her shiver, and she looked back at him shyly.

He kept his gaze on her the entire time, pausing for a moment to cup her cheek gently, almost cautiously. His hand was large and worn from years of manual labor, though his touches bore the utmost tenderness. “There,” he spoke softly, pulling away.

Her skin tingled from where he touched her, even more than it had when Hans kissed her. Being this close again brought her right back to their night by the campfire, when they’d sat close like this, touched like this…

“Th-thank you,” she whispered.

He didn’t take his eyes off her. “You’re welcome.”

Anna knew Hans was waiting, besides, Kristoff had that _look_ in his eyes again - the intense, sincere, powerful one that made her heart jump and her cheeks heat up. It was too much for her to think about or even handle at the moment.

Anna pulled away from Kristoff, feeling more confused than ever. Her emotions were all twisted and distorted inside her, and she didn’t know how to make sense of it. She knew she had feelings for Hans, but ever since she and Kristoff had started to get along, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there may have been something more between them. She still didn’t understand what it was, friendship, or something more, but whatever it was, she knew she wanted it.

She could feel his eyes on her as she walked away, as she packed up her things, as she braided her hair, and as she went to walk with Hans back to his camp. She wondered if he knew when _her_ gaze was on him.

Hans didn’t hold her hand today, and instead walked beside her, talking only to give her directions on what forest trail to take and where to turn. Normally, this would have bothered Anna, but today, things were different. Her emotions were so mixed up, some quiet time was needed to sort it all out.

Before long, they were near his camp. The paths were becoming more defined, and paved with dirt, and glimmers of a lake flashed out to them through the trees. “It’s not much further now,” Hans called out. “You’ll have your supplies and be on your way before you know it.”

Anna looked to him. “Hey...after all this is done, do you think we could ever...you know, see each other again? I mean, if you’d want to. I’d like to, but only if you would. I know it’d be hard, but I could mark this place on the map and come back someday. And maybe we could just hang out or you could come see me, wherever I was.”

His lip twitched. “I’d love that.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really?”

He nodded. “Of course, darling.”

_So Kristoff had been wrong,_ she thought, though she was surprised she wasn’t as pleased by the idea as she thought she’d be. She glanced over her shoulder at him, where he was walking several feet behind them.

He held his backpack straps as he walked, gaze focused on the dirt path underneath his feet. When he felt her stare, he looked up to her and smiled, eyes averting to the side self-consciously.

Anna held back a giggle. _He did look kind of cute when he was nervous…_ Wait, no, she couldn’t think like that, she reminded herself. Her head kept screaming at her that there was a 6-foot, gorgeous man less than a foot away from her, walking beside her, one who kissed her and told her she was amazing and special and called her his _darling._

The trio made their way over one last hill, and then, there it was. They passed under a large, wooden archway that marked the entryway of the camp. The towering posts were carved to resemble totem poles, and a sign that once read the camp’s name hung between them, though it was faded. They could now see the entirety of the lake in all its natural glory as it shone in the early morning light. There was a small dock that cut into the side, with old, splintered canoes resting against it. Cabins, meeting halls, a stable, and other buildings were scattered around the area like a little village. There was a swing set and a wooden fort near what had to be the mess hall, and a tall flagpole in the center of the clearing, though there was no flag to be hung. The air smelt of sharp Blue Spruce trees and fresh earth, and Anna sighed and inhaled it deeply.

“Welcome to my camp!” Hans said proudly, extending his arms to point to all the splendor.

“This place is amazing!” Anna marveled. “I can’t believe it’s all yours!”

“Thank you,” he said, guiding them towards the center of the camp, where the flagpole was.

“So where do you keep the supplies?” Kristoff asked, examining the old campground with a sort of fondness, as if it brought back memories of summers long ago.

“Yeah,” Anna continued. “Do you have them just in one spot? Or are they just scattered throughout all the buildings? Do you even use all of them? All this space for one person must seem overwhelming!”

Hans didn’t reply. He stopped right under the flagpole, silent, and looked around, as if he was waiting for something, or someone.

Anna frowned. “Hans? Did you hear me?”

“Just a moment, Anna,” he answered quickly.

He was acting so strange. He’d said they were going to have breakfast when they got here, and now he was just standing still, examining the empty lot.

And then, a man emerged from over the hill. He was large, well-built, and looming as he began walking closer. He removed the rifle he’d strung over his shoulder, and turned it over in his hands as he walked, footsteps hard, heavy, shaking the earth.

“Who’s that?” Anna inquired, slightly nervous, though Hans still didn’t answer. “I thought you lived alone?”

No response.

There was a growing feeling of unease, though Anna couldn’t exactly place it. Something didn’t feel right; the way Hans was standing, the way he pulled his gun from his pocket and fiddled with it in his hands, the way he just let the stranger come closer, as if he knew him.

Anna threw Kristoff a look, but he seemed as lost and confused. _What was going on?_

Then, more men appeared. She hadn’t even noticed them until it was too late, and they were closing in. They came from the woods, the lake, the cabins, the boathouse, and everywhere in between. They walked steadily, purposefully, silently, without so much as a flinch of hesitation. There faces were dark and they had various weapons in their hands, ranging from rifles to nail-adorned bats. There was at least 10 of them, and each seemed bigger and burlier than the last.

Hans turned his attention back to Kristoff and Anna, a knowing smirk on his face. “Did I forget to mention I have 12 older brothers?” He said cooly.

Something was wrong, very, _very_ wrong. Anna examined the oncoming group frantically, trying to look for a way out. “Yes, I think you left that part out!”

Kristoff glared at Hans, and gasped Anna’s hand. “You know, on second thought, we don’t need your help anymore. C’mon Anna, we’re out of here.”

They were ready to run, but before they could, Hans grabbed Anna by her collar and yanked her over to him, ignoring her pained yelps and cries of protest. “Stop!” He ordered.

Kristoff immediately whipped his pistol out of his back pocket and aimed it at Hans threateningly, finger right over the trigger. _“Let her go!”_

Hans smirked. His face was dark, and he quickly took his own gun and pressed it to Anna’s head. “Make one more move, and I blow her brains out.”

Kristoff’s eyes widened, and he froze in place, everything about his expression and body language screamed anguished franticness. “A-anna?!”

Anna was just as shocked as he was. “Hans!” She gasped, trying to squirm away. “Wh-what are you doing!? What’s wrong with you!?”

“Quiet,” he snapped, turning his attention to his brothers, who had now reached them, and stood in a circle, surrounding them completely. “Well, what do you think?”

Two of them stepped forward, one knocked Kristoff’s gun out of his hand and gripped his hands behind his back in a firm grasp. The other gripped Kristoff’s jaw tightly and stared him down. “Only two?” He questioned condescendly. “They’re not even that big. Viktor got five last week. ”

Hans glared at him. “Do you want them or not?”

“Yes, they’ll still do nicely,” Another one smirked, walking to Anna and cupping her cheek. “We’re going to have a lot of fun with this one.”

_“Get your hands off her!”_ Kristoff spat, trying to break free from his captor, who only held him tighter.

Anna whimpered and pulled her face away from the man’s hand, trying to stop the tears from pouring down her cheeks. “W-why are you doing this?” She whispered to Hans, whimpering when he only pressed the barrel closer to her head. “W-what did we ever do to you?”

“Oh Anna, it’s nothing personal, we just need to survive,” Hans said simply, “I’m sure you understand.”

She shook her head. “N-no! I don’t! This is horrible! You’re horrible! I thought you liked me!”

He snorted. “That was your mistake. C’mon boys, let’s get them inside.”

And with that, they dragged them towards the cabins with brute force. Anna called out for Kristoff, who was still fighting against the man holding him, but Hans simply clamped his hand over her mouth. She tried to kick him away, to wrestle him off her, but it was no use, he only held her tighter, laughed harder.

“Save your energy, darling,” he crooned. “You haven’t even gotten to the best part of this yet. Trust me, the fun is all yet to come.”


	16. The Realization

  **H** ans dragged her into a cabin basement, where a dark cellar awaited them. Inside, there were two old, cement-block shower stalls, divided by ceiling-high walls. The curtains and shower heads were long since gone, and instead there were bars melded into the cold walls, turning them into makeshift cells. The men threw Anna into one, and Kristoff into the other, and locked them in. The others left, but Hans stayed, looking smug.

“Let us out!” Anna cried, scrambling to her feet and tugging on the bars. “Hans, please!”

 _“Please!”_ Hans whined, mimicking her. “Do you really think I’d do it just because you asked?”

She looked at him in dismay as she stammered incoherently, trying to find a way to retort. The brothers had taken their backpacks and weapons, and carried them out, to where, Anna didn’t know. They were now- completely defenseless to his control. “What do you want from us!” She burst instead. “We have nothing! You already took our weapons! _You’re_ the one with all the supplies!”

He sighed and slipped his leather gloves off. “See, that’s where you’re wrong, my dear. My brothers and I have been lacking in that area as of late, but thanks to you, that’s all going to change.”

She frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he simpered, “I just wanted to thank you in advance, your sacrifice will be appreciated greatly.”

“Sacrifice?! What the hell are you talking about!?”

He only smiled more.

“Ugh, I can’t believe I ever trusted you! You’re a monster!” She snarled, and when Hans only smirked in reply she had never felt so furious or betrayed.

“You, know, your boyfriend was right,” he said, rubbing his tired hands before putting his gloves back on. “You shouldn’t have trusted me. But, it’s not your fault you’re so naive, or that he’s weak enough to do whatever you say.”

“You won’t get away with this!” She spat, shaking the bars furiously. “We’re going to break out of here, and fight you off, and-”

“Save your breath darling,” he sighed, walking towards the door. “It’s nothing I haven’t heard before.” And with that, the light went out, and he left, closing the door behind him with a resounding slam.

“No!” Anna gasped, shaking the bars of her cell, but to no avail. “He has to unlock us! He can’t just do this!”

“Don’t worry, I’m going to get us out of here!” Kristoff snapped. He grunted as he began kicking at the bars of his cell, trying to make them fall.

Anna scanned the room. It had to be the bathroom of the cabin, though stripped bare. The sinks were missing, and the counter was now covered in various tools and weapons. There was a cabinet shoved into the side of the room, though it was padlocked shut. The tiled floor was adorned with dark stains, long since able to wash away, and Anna tried not to think about how they might have got there.

“What are they going to do to us?” She whispered, tearing her eyes away from the stain. “What ‘sacrifice’?”

“I-I don’t know!” He grunted.

She shook. “Th-they said they were going to have _fun_ with me!”

“Don’t. Listen. To. Them!” He snarled, kicking harder with every word. “They’re not going to lay a hand on you!”

She thought back to the rough taste of leather as Hans had clamped his hand over her mouth, the feel of his arms around her, dragging, squeezing, clenching. She had never felt so trapped and alone, even though Kristoff had only been a few feet away. “But what if they do!? They’re bigger and stronger than us! Kristoff, I’m scared!”

Kristoff didn’t respond, and continued trying to knock the bars down. He tried to pry them apart, to find some loose bricks, to kick them loose; but it was no use, they were trapped. “God dammit!” He snarled, giving the bars one last kick before beginning to pace back and forth in his cell. “I can’t break them! Do you have a window in your cell?”

She shook her head, even though she realized he couldn’t see her. “No! There’s only the drain in the floor, but that won’t do any good…”

He cursed again. “Alright, then we’ll find another way. When he comes back, we’ll jump him, take his weapon, and sneak out of here.”

“How!? What if he brings his brothers with him? And we don’t have our backpacks!”

She could practically her his mind working, trying to think of a solution, but even he knew he was near his breaking point by now. “I...He’ll...We’ll figure something out!” He burst. “I know we will.” He faltered, voice quieter this time. “We have to.”

☳☳☳

Time went by, and Hans didn’t return. Both Anna and Kristoff’s throats soon grew sore, and they sat in silence, waiting, wondering.

Anna had never felt so afraid, even when they’d had close calls with clickers. Then, the outcomes were clear; either she’d get bit or she wouldn’t. But sitting in some underground room, in a cell, left the future completely unknown. Would they shoot them? Leave them to starve to death? Give them to the clickers? Or would it be something worse?

She felt like an animal, trapped in a cage with no escape. As this room was underground, it was bitterly cold, and Anna had to huddle in the corner of her cell to keep warm. They weren’t given any food, water, or most importantly, any clue as to what was even going on. Sometimes she thought she heard voices and footsteps above, but no one came down to check on them. The isolation was mind-numbing, though she couldn’t bring herself to speak to Kristoff; she didn’t want him to blame her for this situation that was obviously her fault. _How could she have been so, so stupid?_

Some hours later, the door burst open, and two men entered.

Anna looked up at them as she rose to her feet, eyes narrow. “What do you want?”

“Easy, princess,” one said, pulling a ring of keys out of his pocket. “We’re not here for you.”

Her heart sunk. “Wait what?! No! You can’t take him!”

She heard Kristoff scramble to his feet as they unlocked the door to his cell. There were sounds of a struggle as he tried to fight him off, but they must have punched him, for moments later, she heard a loud thud, and then a wheeze.

 _“Kristoff!”_ She wailed as they dragged him back out, towards the door.

“Don’t worry about me!” Kristoff grunted, still trying to break free from their grasp. “I-I’ll be fine!”

“Shut up,” one snarled, grabbing his neck and shoving his head down.

“Where are you taking him!?” Anna exclaimed, pounding her hands against the metal bars frantically. “Kristoff! Wait! You can’t do this!”

“Don’t worry sweetheart, he’s in good hands,” the shorter of the two smirked, and just like that, they dragged him into the hall, and locked the door shut.

She couldn’t focus, she couldn’t _breathe_. She just couldn’t get the image of him struggling out of her head, squirming, fighting, trying to break free.

 _He can’t die, he can’t die!_ She couldn’t lose him! Just even thinking of Kristoff getting shot, stabbed, or hurt in any other way sent her into tears, and before long she was sobbing and dragging her fingers against the cold metal of the bars, crying out for him.

The minutes dragged by as she waited, prayed. She paced back and forth, tried to sit down, tried to not worry. Kristoff was strong, he could handle them. He was a fighter, and she knew he wouldn’t go down without one. The thought was the only hope she had left, and she clung to it desperately.

Hours later, the door burst open, and Kristoff returned, dragged in by two of the younger-looking brothers. He was slumped over, unconscious, though Anna managed to catch a glimpse of his face before they threw him back into his cell. His face had clearly been beaten; he had several open cuts over his skin, and big bruises that were starting to swell. His nose looked broken, and had a dried trail of blood running underneath. He had dirt on his clothes, and tears in the knees. He looked like he’d been through hell.

“KRISTOFF!” Anna gasped in horror, clawing at the wall that separated them. She turned to the men who had brought him in, her face contorted in fury. “ _What did you do to him!?”_

They sniggered. “Don’t look at us, that was all Hans.”

She saw red as rage seeped in through every pore of her skin. How dare Hans do this to Kristoff! She couldn’t even tell if Kristoff was alive, as he was completely silent in his cell. “Well, you can tell Hans that he’s a bastard!” She snapped, clenching her fists even harder as they simply turned to walk out the door. “A good-for-nothing, pathetic bastard!”

They sniggered again. “We’ll pass on the message.”

The door slammed shut again, and the darkness settled in. Anna turned her attention to Kristoff, who still hadn’t made a sound. “Kristoff!” She called out, slamming the wall with her fists. “Kris!? Can you hear me!?”

Silence.

Her heart lurched, and eyes stung. “K-kristoff!” She whimpered, pounding harder. “Answer me! I know you can h-hear me! You _have_ to!”

There was a shift, then a curse.

She stopped breathing. “Kristoff?”

He groaned groggily in response as he slowly came back into consciousness. “Stupid son-of-a bitch…”

 _“Kristoff!”_ she gasped again, though this time in pure, unadulterated relief. “Y-you’re okay!”

She heard him sit up slowly, rest his weight against the wall. “Y-yeah...are you okay? Th-they didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“No! I’m fine!” She replied, and never before had she cried happier tears. _He was alive! Yes, he was hurt, but his heart still beat. They still had a chance._

She heard him hiss in pain, and her happiness faded. Yes, he was okay, but they were still trapped. What if they were coming for her next? “They said Hans took you,” she murmured, heart sinking as cold reality set back in. “What did he do to you?”

“H-he wanted to know exactly where we w-were headed...and if there was anyone else in a group expecting us,” He wheezed, voice strained. “I j-just told him to go to hell...and that pissed him off…”

She sniffed, trying to stop herself from crying again. “I...I was so worried about you,” she whispered. “I-I thought they’d _killed_ you.”

He laughed dryly. “D-don’t worry, it’s going to take a lot more than a f-few punches to kill me. I’m not leaving you, Anna.”

She rubbed at her eyes. “Good.”

There was a sudden commotion outside the door, as well as the sound of feet rushing down the steps. The door burst open, causing Anna to yelp, but the men didn’t advance towards her.

Hans was stood there with three of his brothers at his side. There was silence. One man stepped forward, examining Kristoff with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“You idiot!” He suddenly snapped. “How are we going to get anything for him if he’s beat up like this!? You could have broken something! You know they like them in good condition!”

Hans glowered at the ground. “Sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t good enough,” he scowled, shoving a medical kit into his hands. “Now go clean him up. And try not to fuck it up.”

Hans stormed over to Kristoff’s cell as the brothers retreated into the hallway, grumbling amongst each other. He unlocked the door and pulled out his gun from his pocket, holding it up defensively. “Hold still,” he barked. “Or I’ll shoot Anna.”

Kristoff didn’t reply, though Anna assumed he gave Hans some sort of dark, hateful glare.

The medical kit was set on the floor, and opened. She heard Kristoff hiss in pain as Hans applied the rubbing alcohol to his open wounds, though Hans simply ordered him to be quiet again. The minutes passed by as he continued to clean Kristoff’s wounds, interrupted only by Hans ordering him to turn his head a certain way or stop squirming. After what felt like an eternity, he finished, and pulled away. “There. You should thank me.”

Kristoff snorted. “Not in your lifetime.”

He chose to disregard this. “I got your message, Anna,” Hans continued as he packed up the medical kit, left the cell, and locked it again. “It was pretty pathetic, as usual.”

She scowled. “It wasn’t pathetic, it was true!”

He snorted and turned his back to her as he started to leave. “Right.”

Her eyes flashed. “We’re going to stop you!” She declared, looking him dead-on. “We’ll make it out of here, I know we will!”

He paused, gripping the door handle with white knuckles. “Trust me,” Hans said darkly. “The only way you two are getting out of here is in pieces.”

Then the door shut again, and the loneliness set in.

☳☳☳

Time passed. There were no windows in the cellar, so there was no way to tell how many hours or days or even weeks had passed. After several days in, Anna gave up trying to keep count. With every dark moment that dragged on, every stab of hunger that sent her clutching at her stomach, and every second of torturous silence, she lost more hope, until she barely had any left.

At one point, she grew so frustrated and exhausted from her situation that she began pounding on the cell door relentlessly, causing her knuckles to bleed. _“Let us out you monsters!”_ She shrieked, but no one other than Kristoff heard her. “Let. Us. Out!” Eventually, her body gave way and she collapsed onto the concrete floor, hard.

“This is all my fault,” she whimpered, voice hoarse. “I put us in danger and it’s all because of _me!_ ”

She could practically see him shake his head in denial. “It doesn’t matter!” He insisted. “We’ve got to keep fighting!”

 _Why did he have to be so damn encouraging? Didn’t he see there was no way out?_ “What’s the point?” She sniffed, burying her head between her legs. “W-we’re going to die here, aren’t we?” Even though she’d been thinking the thought ever since they got here, now that she said it aloud, it felt even more real. This was going to be the end. The realization made her start to cry, and her whole body shook.

“Hey! Don’t cry,” Kristoff ordered. “You don’t get to give up, not yet. We’re going to get out of here, and you’re going to get that chocolate you wanted, and I’ll play a song for you. And we’re going to get to Salt Lake and everything’s going to work out, you’ll see. And we’ll laugh at how dumb Hans’ face looked when we escaped.”

A bubble of incredulous laughter burst through her tears, and she hiccuped. The thought of chocolates and guitars seemed too good to be true now; how she ever convinced herself that such a thing was possible, she didn’t know. But though the thought was comforting, she still didn’t allow the word ‘maybe’ to cross her mind. This wasn’t time for fantasies, or day dreams. She just couldn’t find it in her to be hopeful, coming down from it just hurt too much. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because, I trust you, and I know you have the strength in you to get out of this,” he said simply. “We’ve made it out of tough spots before, and we’ll do it again. Just...you can’t stop fighting. Then they win.”

Anna looked at her shoes, scuffed from kicking against the metal bars. “Haven’t they already?”

“No. Now, promise me. Promise me that whatever happens, to you or me, you won’t stop fighting, not until your last breath. Promise me, and I’ll promise you.”

Her eyes teared up again, and she smiled weakly. “I-I promise.”

“I do too.” Then he was silent for a moment. “Here.”

She looked and saw his hand, outstretched through the bars. She immediately grasped onto it tightly, intertwining their fingers and clutching on with white knuckles.

He held her just as tight and smoothed his thumb over her soothingly. It was the most comfort he could give her in his state, and Anna appreciated it greatly.

“We’re going to make it out of this,” he whispered, and she could see him then; grasping her hands, looking into her eyes, holding her close, and keeping her safe. She could feel the warmth of his voice, and closed her eyes, taking in the soothing words he whispered to her, and holding onto his hand tighter than she ever had before.

Then it hit her. She couldn’t lose Kristoff, not now, it was too soon. She didn’t know how she’d be able to go on without him. She needed him like she needed to breathe, and the prospect of death in the air made her crave for him like she was drowning, gasping, fighting to stay afloat. He wasn’t some dreamy prince that she’d thought Hans had been, or that she dreamed of since she was a girl. He made her feel strong, safe. He wasn’t fluffy or but raw, jarring, real, and everything she didn’t know she needed. That’s why they had to make it out of this, they had to survive.

She loved him.  


	17. The Sacrifice

**W** hen Anna awoke, Kristoff’s hand was still clutching hers. She didn’t even remember falling asleep, though the fact that she did was truly a relief. She’d barely slept ever since they got here, and to wake up feeling rejuvenated and refreshed was a blessing.

She shifted in place, gave his hand a small squeeze.

Kristoff’s tired voice called out to her. “Anna?”

“Hey,” she murmured, smiling softly as he started to stroke her hand with his thumb again. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he insisted. “It’s you I’m worried about.”

She sighed. “I’m just...tired. And hungry. Very hungry. How long have we been down here?”

“I dunno. We just need to focus, and stay strong. I meant what I said Anna, I’m not going to stop fighting, I’m going to get us out of here.”

She smiled tiredly. “I know you will. You don’t have to make speeches for me. I...I trust you.”

His hand held hers tighter, and he was silent, thinking, planning.

“Thank you, Kristoff.” Anna murmured, though he still didn’t answer. She could sense his worry, his agitation, and she hesitated, but quickly bent her head down and kissed his the back of his hand.

She felt him freeze, for they both knew deep in their hearts where she’d wanted that kiss to be. She didn’t know what made her do it, maybe because she’d wanted to for so long now, or that she wanted to reassure him, to give him the strength she barely had. Maybe it was for fear that she wouldn’t get another chance.

When he spoke, his voice was softer, warmer. “Anna, I-”

And then, the door burst open, and Hans returned. He yanked the keys out of his

pocket, and stormed to Anna’s cell. “Stupid bastards,” he muttered under his breath. “I’ll show them.”

Anna’s eyes widened as he began unlocking her door, his hands shaking in fury. “What are you doing here!?” She exclaimed, yelping when he entered her cell, and pinned her hands behind her back.

“I oughta do it right here,” Hans scowled, as if he hadn’t heard her. “Make Kristopher listen to it. But, no, I don’t need any interference.”

Anna scowled back, trying to squirm away. “Great, now you’ve completely lost it! What are you even talking about?”

“C’mon!” Hans ordered, yanking her out of her cell and towards the door. “You and I are going on a little trip.”

“NO!” Anna shrieked. As she squirmed, she heard her clasp break, and watched in horror as her beloved charm bracelet fell onto the cement floor. She turned to look over her shoulder, back at Kristoff, who was on his feet, pounding at the bars and trying to reach his hand out to her, but in vain.

“ANNA!” He cried out.

“KRISTOFF!” She wailed, but it was too late, Hans turned the corner, and slammed the door shut behind them.

He dragged her back up the stairs, to the main room of the cabin, and out the front door.

The darkness of evening hit her eyes with a brilliance, and she blinked quickly, trying to adjust. It had been almost pitch-black in the cellar; at this point, any amount of light would have hurt her.

As she looked around the camp, she realized the rest of his brothers were nowhere to be seen, though that didn’t ease her fears. What if they were hiding, or if Hans was just bringing her to them? As long as she was in his grasp, she could never feel safe.

Hans guided her away from the cabins, down the hill, and towards the center of the camp. He seemed to be taking pleasure in dragging her along and seeing her struggle, if the big smile on his face was any indication.

“Where are you taking me!?” Anna snapped, still squirming. “Are you going to beat me like you did to Kristoff?”

He chuckled. “No, of course not, darling. Kristopher wasn’t meant to stay here, not like you.”

She frowned, paused. “Like me?”

He nodded. “You see...after the outbreak, my brothers and I had to find a way to survive. The stores were all raided, ration cards were hard to find, and we were starving.”

She rolled her eyes. “Poor you. It’s almost as if everyone else in the country was the _exact_ same way.”

He ignored her, and continued. “Well, we met some...friends. They were a brute bunch, but they were skilled in the black market, and offered us a trade. If we gave them what they needed, they’d provide us with all the food and supplies we could wish for.”

The sentence made her shiver, and she gulped. “And what exactly do they need?”

He leaned in close, breath ghosting across her lips. “Humans.”

Her heart stopped, and her eyes widened in horror. She immediately began squirming harder and faster, and calling out for help, but Hans simply clamped his hand over her mouth.

“Now, now, don’t fret,” he soothed. “Truthfully, I don’t know what they want with them either, only that it pays us well. And that’s all that really matters in the end. Besides, that’s Kristopher’s problem to deal with, not yours. My brothers and I like to keep the women, you see. They prove to be a lot more...beneficial.”

She whimpered, gut wrenching as she felt the gravity of his words, but Hans still didn’t care.

“Don’t worry darling,” He whispered, pressing his lips to the top of her head. “I’ll be sure to take extra special care of you.”

Anna felt like gagging, or at least screaming, but all she could do was cry. The tears ran down her cheeks, angry and hot, and she looked up at the red-streaked sky, praying for a miracle.

☳☳☳

Kristoff couldn’t stand still. He could still hear Anna screaming for him, see the cold smirk on Hans’ face as he dragged her away. Most of all, he heard Elsa, gasping for breath, trying to make the most of her last moments alive.

“ _Take care of my sister.”_

He dragged a hand through his hair, gritted his teeth. He thought of his parents, and the pools of blood that trickled down the wood-paneled floor and stained his shoes. He pictured Elsa, eyes closed and expression soft, as if she was asleep. Then Anna; his sweet, strong, beautiful Anna, draped in his arms, warm blood flowing from a fresh gunshot wound to her heart. Lips frozen on the goodbye she never got to say.

Fury coursed through him, and he fought back the urge to slam his fists against the brick wall. He couldn’t stay in this cell, not when that bastard had Anna. He had to get to her, to save her, to make sure she was okay. He couldn’t stop envisioning the frantic look in her eye, the one that tore him apart. If Hans so much as laid a hand on her…

“HEY!” He snapped, looking up towards the ceiling. “Let her go, you hear me!? I swear to God I’ll kill you!”

He knew in his heart of hearts that it was pointless. He’d heard their footsteps above, heard her cries slowly fade away as he dragged her out the door. But he had to do something, _anything!_ He couldn’t just sit here and wait for her to-

Heavy footsteps came back down the stairs, and he looked towards the door, heart pounding hard in his chest. “Anna!?”

But it was only two of Hans’ brothers, and they were empty-handed.

“WHERE IS SHE?” Kristoff demanded as they walked to him and unlocked his cell.

They glared at him and ordered him to be quiet. Then, each one grabbed an arm and dragged him upstairs, back into the cabin.

“Let me go!” Kristoff raged, “I need to know where she is!”

“She’s with Hans,” one said with a smirk. “His newest pet. He’s trying to prove that he can actually get with one for once, one of us always has to do the job for him.”

The answer only enraged Kristoff further, so much so that his eyes were dark and his blood was boiling. _He had to get out of here._

With great force, the two brothers pushed him onto a table that had been placed in the middle of the room. One pinned his arms down, while the other pulled a blade out of his pocket.

“Remember, one clean, even cut!” The other demanded, trying to keep Kristoff still. “They don’t want them messy!”

“I know what I’m doing!” The man snapped, holding the blade up to Kristoff’s throat. “This isn’t my first time!”

Kristoff’s eyes widened. He had to think of a way out, and fast. With one swift motion, he took advantage of his free legs, and kicked the man with the blade right in the gut, sending him stumbling backwards. The knife fell, and Kristoff lunged out of the second brother’s grasp to catch it. He then turned back to the second brother, and sliced his throat, sending him falling to the ground and clutching at his neck. Kristoff bent down, grabbed a pistol from the brother’s pocket, and pointed it to the other man, who was still trying to recover from the kick. _“Tell me where she is,”_ he growled darkly.

The man looked up at him, and at the barrel. “Shit!” He gasped, taking a few steps back.

Kristoff’s eyes narrowed. _“Answer me!”_

He regained his composure, and glared right back. “I’m not telling you anything.”

Kristoff gritted his teeth, rolled his eyes. “I really don’t have time for this.” And right as the man was reaching for his gun, a bullet went clear through his head.

Kristoff gripped the weapon tightly and paused for a moment, trying to catch his breath. He had never felt so infuriated before, and it startled him slightly. But his guilt was easily swallowed by the drive to protect, to fight. He was now free, but he knew he didn’t have much time. If any more men were around, the gunshots surely would have driven them in, and once they found the bodies, and the empty cell, he’d have 10 trained men hunting him down. Besides, Anna didn’t have much time either. He had to move.

He scanned the room, grabbing weapons from the men’s pockets and backpacks. He found his and Anna’s bags shoved under one of the bunks, and he took those too. He traded the pistol for a rifle, and filled the magazine. Before he left, he remembered to run back into the cellar, and grab Anna’s bracelet from where it’d fallen. He knew how much it meant to her, and that he couldn’t just leave it here for these monstrous men to keep.

His body was still sore from the beating he’d taken, but he pushed through it, ran back up the stairs, out the door, and took cover in the maze of cabin buildings. He could already hear the sound of footsteps running through the camp, confused to the source of the gunshots. Voices called out to each other, they were closing in on the cabin now; it was only a matter of time.

Kristoff took a deep breath and pulled out his bow and arrows, still strung to his backpack. He would need as much stealth as he could muster if he wanted to get out of this, and a rifle would be far too loud. He took out Anna’s bracelet from his pocket, and looked at it as a source of encouragement, a will to fight.

_“Don’t worry Anna,”_ he muttered, clutching the chain tightly in his hand. _“I’m coming.”_

☳☳☳

Hans dragged her into the mess hall, kicking the doors out of his way. With one hand, he locked them behind them, and slipped the key into his coat pocket. “This place will do nicely,” he said, yanking her across the room.

The room was big, as it was intended to be able to seat the entire camp. There were restaurant-style booths throughout the entire room, tattered flags hanging from the ceiling, and a door to the kitchen, though it was shut with a padlock and chain.

Hans lead her to one of the booths in the back of the room, and tossed her onto the seat, pressing down on her hard and straddling her.

_“Get off me!”_ Anna pleaded, trying to move away. “You’re a monster!”

“Sit still!” He barked, trying to pin her down. He pulled out a knife from his pocket, and held it near her throat. “Or I’ll make you!”

Anna ignored him, and started screaming for help as loudly as she could. Even though she knew it would probably only attract more of his brothers, maybe Kristoff, somehow, would hear her.

Hans scowled and slapped his hand down and over her mouth. “I said be quiet! Make this easy on yourself!”

Anna glared at him, and retaliated by biting down on his hand, hard, drawing blood.

And that was all she needed.

Hans cried out in pain, dropped the knife, and clutched at his hand, giving Anna enough of a window to grab the blade, kick him off her, and run for cover.

“You stupid girl!” Hans snapped, jumping off the booth and pulling out his gun. “You’re going to regret that!”

Anna held her breath, crouching behind one of the booths several feet away. Her heart went into overdrive as survival mode set in, and adrenaline coursed through her veins. _Alright Anna,_ she thought as she clutched the pocket knife. _Time to fight._

☳☳☳

Kristoff made his way through the camp, attempting to stay undetected. This place was huge, and there were so many places that Anna could be. It didn’t help that he didn’t have a clue to where she was either, nor his way around.

The other brothers had to have found the bodies by now; he could hear them, running through the camp, calling out that he was a son-of-a-bitch and that he would pay for what he’d done. It didn’t phase him, not when Anna was in danger.

He decided to try to scan the perimeter of the camp, and then work his way in. He turned around the corner of the nurse’s cabin, ready to start doing so, when he came face-to-face to one of the men scanning the area.

The man’s eyes widened, and he reached for his gun. “HEY!”

But within a matter of seconds, Kristoff reached into the quiver, aimed his bow, and shot an arrow right through his heart, sending him falling onto the ground. His eyes were dark, and breathing heavy. He slowly lowered his bow, and went to retrieve the arrow from the body. He hated doing this, but he knew he had to; it was either he, or them, and Anna’s life was on the line.

_At least she didn’t have to see him like this,_ he thought. He still remembered the look on her face when he’d strangled that man back in the hunters’ town. She’d looked so scared, and that time, it’d been of _him_. He never wanted to see her like that again.

He was just putting the blood-tipped arrow back into the quiver when he heard it; the scream.

He recognized it instantly, and his eyes widened. _“Anna!”_ He ran towards the sound, trading out his bow for his gun once again. At this point, he didn’t care if the entire world heard him. All that mattered was _her,_ and making sure she was safe. He wouldn’t lose her, he couldn’t, not again, and he would do whatever it took to save her.

☳☳☳

It was a game of cat-and-mouse between them as Anna moved throughout the mess hall, trying to stay hidden. _How was she supposed to get out of this?_ The door was locked, so she couldn’t escape through there. The windows were all too high for her to crawl through without something to stand on.

_Use your strengths,_ she told herself, and she could almost hear Elsa’s voice, coaching and guiding her. _You’re small, and fast. Use that!_

She heard Hans’ footsteps coming closer, and she darted behind another section of booths, trying to stay as silent and quick as possible.

“Do you really think you can hide from me forever?” Hans taunted, smacking his gun against his palm. “There’s only one way out of here, and I have the key. You’ll have to kill me for it, but I’m not worried about that. You’re far too weak to even lay a hand on me.”

Her eyes narrowed, and this time, she planned her movements so she fell behind him, matching her footsteps up with his. When he was unaware, she took a bold leap, and jumped up on him from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck and trying to choke him.

Hans struggled and gasped for air, but in the end managed to yank her off him and smack her against the wall repeatedly, causing her head to pound and her nose to bleed. She then fell against the ground, gasping in pain.

Hans laughed breathlessly, and pointed his gun at her, hand shaking. “That was cute,” he mocked, “But not nearly enough.”

Anna whimpered and wiped her nose bleed off with her sleeve. She felt broken, like there was no point anymore. She couldn’t win.

Hans cocked the gun. “I don’t care if my brothers get angry. To hell with them. I’m finished with you. Any last words?”

She was ready to give up, ready to die. Her skull was still pounding against her head, and the blood ran from her nose, down her chin and neck.

And then, she thought back to the night before. She felt Kristoff holding her hand again, and his voice, encouraging her, giving her a will to live.

_Promise me that whatever happens, to you or me, you won’t stop fighting, not until your last breath._

Her eyes flashed, and she glared up at Hans. She would be strong, she would fight tooth and nail until Hans killed her with his own bare hands. “Go to hell!” She shrieked, and lunged at him, trying to grab the gun from his hand.

Hans fell backwards, and they fought on the floor furiously. Hans tried to fire the gun off, but it only went through the ceiling, missing both of them. She felt his fist slam against her jaw, she clawed at his eyes, he kicked her. Her body was wailing in pain, but she couldn’t stop, she wouldn’t. The tears ran down her face, and she fought harder than she ever had before.

She finally managed to knock the gun out of his hand, and ran after it, leaving Hans recovering on the floor from a kick to the groin. She picked it up, and rose to her feet, keeping the gun trained on him even as he stood too.

He glanced around for her until he spotted her and froze. There was a flash of fear in his eyes, but only for a moment. He looked incredulously at her, and then laughed, a loud, hard, disbelieving laugh. “Are you kidding me right now? Do you actually think I’d be intimidated by you?”

Anna blinked back tears, clutching at the revolver with white knuckles. _You’re in control._ She looked through the notch, held her breath, kept eye contact. “Y-you’re not going to hurt me anymore!” She said shakily. “You’re not going to hurt anyone e-ever again!”

His eyes narrowed. “ _Please._ You don’t have the g-”

And then, one fateful shot. One was all it took.

Hans’ eyes widened, and he clutched at his stomach. Blood pooled over his fingers as he swayed on the spot, trying to process what had happened. “Y-you stupid bitch!” And with that, he fell to the ground with a loud, hard, thud.

Anna immediately dropped the gun, her blood cold. _It was finally over._ The relief was overwhelming, and she burst into tears, ones both of relief, and horror.

Then, the door shook, and she yelped and held up her knife with shaking hands, pointing it in the direction of the intruder. “S-stay back!”

Kristoff kicked the locked door down, sending splinters of wood flying everywhere. He looked around the room frantically, until he spotted her; blood-splattered, scarred, and clutching at her blade for dear life. _“Anna!”_

Her body crumpled. “K-kristoff!” She sobbed harder as he ran to her, cupping her cheeks and holding her close. “H-he...he tried to-”

He shushed her and pressed her head to his heart. “It’s okay,” he murmured, stroking her hair. “I got you know. _You’re okay._ ”

She listened to his heartbeat and curled her fingers in his coat. “I...I s-shot him.”

He held her tighter. “I know sweetheart, you were so strong. I’m so proud of you.”

She hiccuped, opened her mouth to reply, but only cried harder. But it didn’t matter, Kristoff understood; she knew he did, and that was enough. Standing there, tucked into his embrace, she had never felt safer; like she was finally where she needed to be.

“Come on,” Kristoff whispered, moving his hand down to her back. “Let’s get you out of here.”

She nodded frantically. “P-please!”

The next moment would haunt her nightmares for years to come. Time seemed to slow, and it was as if she was watching from a distance, after all, it was too horrible to be real, it couldn’t have been. Kristoff had only pulled away for a moment to give her backpack to her, but that was all Hans needed. Using his last ounce of strength, he struggled across the floor, reached for the gun Anna had dropped, and lifted it up, aiming it right at her heart.

Kristoff registered it before she did, and swore loudly, pushing her out of the way. Anna gasped and fell onto the floor, landing hard on the old wood, turning her head over her shoulder just in time to see Kristoff jump into the line of fire.

The shot rang out, Kristoff fell, and Hans breathed his last.

Anna lay sprawled out on the floor, completely shocked. By the time she’d fully proceeded what happened, Kristoff was already on the floor, clutching at his wound and gasping for air.

_NO._

Her eyes widened. _“Kristoff!”_ She wailed, running to his side.

The bullet had hit him in his lower abdomen, away from any vital organs, but still enough to wound. There was a pool of blood on the ground, and he winced and swore.

“No, no, no!” She gasped, running her fingers over the wound. “Kristoff! Oh my god…”

“I-I’ll be okay!” he rasped through another grunt of pain. “Really...just…” He tried to stand, but only fell back down, hard.

She pressed her hand over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but the blood only pooled faster, and he cried out in agony.

“I-I’m sorry!” She yelped, pulling her hands away. “I just...it’s just.. _.Why did you do that!?”_ She wailed, moving her hands to cup his cheeks.

“H-he...he was going to shoot you…”

“So you take a b-bullet for me?! W-why would you do that!?”

“B-because...I...I lo-” But he couldn’t hold on any longer. With one last wheeze of pain, he gasped for air, and passed out, body going limp.

_“No!”_ She shrieked, shaking him, trying desperately to wake him up. “C’mon, Kristoff! Don’t you dare die on me! Y-you have to play your guitar for me, remember?! And we have to get to S-Salt Lake and eat chocolate and I h-have to tell you...tell you…”

He didn’t respond. His body had never felt so cold and stiff before, and it scared her to the core. He was still breathing, but barely. She gripped onto his shirt, and buried her face in his chest, holding onto the sound of his heartbeat like a lifeline as she sobbed.

“ _I-I love you.”_

The world outside was dark, and as the sun faded away, the stars ceased to shine. The wind blew, the leaves scattered, and the first snowflake fell, alluding to the harsh winter yet to come.

 

 

 


	18. The Hush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of people were confused as to why there wasn't a chapter up last week, and I apologize. Last week was just so incredibly busy for me, I simply didn't have the time to get anything done. But, everything's back in order now, so we should be good! For future updates or delays like this; I encourage you the check out the E & S blog (endure-and-survive-story.tumblr.com), for news and other things you might need to know. Thank you all for reading!

**Part 3: Winter**

**A** nna darted behind a display case, the taste of blood fresh on her tongue and forehead slicked with cold sweat. She could hear the shrieking grow in volume as the infected swarmed the general store, hunting her. She’d counted 5 on her way in, with 3 more not too far behind. She would have to think fast.

 _S_ he held her breath while quietly taking the bow off of her back, all the while strategizing her next move. The general store was of average size, and had plenty of old racks, displays, and knocked over shelves that would make suitable cover. Taking each one out would be easy, the real challenge was not getting swarmed.

Anna reached down to her feet, and grabbed an old brick that was shoved under a shelf. Using all her might, she threw it towards the front of the store, sending the clickers chasing after it, croaking and clicking angrily. When their backs were turned, she loaded her bow, and shot an arrow through the head of one clicker near the back of the group.

_One down, seven to go._

She continued her game, luring the clickers into one section of the store while she attacked from behind. Using her bow, she killed a second, third, fourth; aim practiced and never failing.

She moved with swiftness and practice until there were only 2 left. _This would be easy and efficient,_ she thought as she loaded her bow, and got ready to aim. But to her horror, upon stepping forward she tripped over a stray piece of debris, sending her arrow flying out of the bow too soon and ricocheting off a metal shelf.

The sound caused the two remaining clickers in the room to screech and instantly run towards her, her cover clearly blown.

Anna yelped and tried to reach for her gun, but they were too fast, and immediately knocked her to the floor. Her head smacked against the cold tile, and then she felt them on her, scratching her arms and and clawing at her.

Anna shrieked loudly, squirming under the weight of the infected. They bared their rotten teeth to her, and lunged forward, ready to strike. Anna had only a moment to reach into her pocket, pull out a small shiv, and desperately slice at the clickers’ throats. To her relief, she made her mark. When they paused, she took the opportunity to slice them again, shove them off her, and shoot both right through the heart.

The two infected wailed, and gave off one last echoing croak. Then their bodies went still, and the ruby blood pooled. The air was once again filled with the cold emptiness of silence, as well as the smell of decay and death.

Anna looked around the shop quickly, as if to make sure that it was really over with. And it was. The shop was empty, was world was quiet, she was alone. “Th-there!” She panted. Her hands were shaking and covered in the infected’s thick blood, and she wiped them off quickly, feeling disgusted.

The air was frigidly cold and still as she went back to her initial task; searching for medicine. The pharmacy up the road had been empty; that’s where she’d run into all those infected, hiding out in a dark corner. She tried not to think about how they’d all come to rest there, but she had to imagine that they’d spent their last moments as humans in sheer desperation, searching for something to cure the inevitable. A medicine, a drug, anything to save what few hours they had left. Anna couldn’t even imagine the horror of getting infected, nor did she want to.

But there was no time for worrying about that now, she had to be fast and focus on the present.

Annae dug through shelves, opened boxes; she even busted a rusted safe open, but found nothing. At one point, she found a box of bottles, but it wasn’t any good either. “Really?” She snapped as she shook an empty pill bottle into her hand. “Who just takes the pills and leaves the bottle?” But it was like that throughout the entire shop. Empty bottles, empty boxes, empty tins. She tore the entire store apart, but no matter how hard she looked, the store had been completely wiped out.

The sun was already setting in the sky; she would have to head back quickly. The prospect frustrated her, and she kicked over the pile of empty pill bottles that lay at her feet.

 _Damn it!_ When she’d left, he’d had a slight fever and been in chills. How could she return with no means to help him? He’d been alone all day, what if he was even worse now?

At least she still had the one can of beef stew she’d salvaged earlier in the day; it wasn’t much, but it was enough to feed them for tonight, maybe even the next morning.

She would just have to try again tomorrow, she assured herself as she packed up her things. She wouldn’t give up, not when he needed her. She loaded her gun, kept it in hand, and headed back onto the street, breaking off into a brisk run. The town was small and quaint, a former ski town by the looks of the athletic wear stores, coffee shops, broken ski lift, and rolling slopes off in the distance. Homey cabins and hotels were scattered about, though Anna rushed past them all. She’d learned long ago the risks of staying in towns, even if they were deserted.

Her footsteps hit against the cobblestone road hard as she ran up the main street, past the town square, and off into the outlying forest. Her breath felt heavy in her throat as she pushed herself onward, trying to get back as soon as possible. The sun was going down, and Anna didn’t want to be out here when the darkness settled in.

She dashed through the snow as quick as a bird and as quiet as a fawn. She followed her footprints from before, which were already filling with snow in the pale evening light. The forest was quiet and still, albeit for the hushed whisper of winter that filled and suppressed the air around her; a white noise that forever reminded her just how lonely she was out here.

_You’re almost there, not much further now._

Anna ran the entire 4 mile distance without stopping until she finally reached it; a small, wooden cabin. It was almost hidden behind the immense spruce and pine trees around it, which were blanketed with layers of glimmering snow. The lights were off inside, and a broken snowmobile had been pushed in front of the door.

_Finally._

Anna noticed the chimney no longer had steady streams of wispy smoke piping from it, and she bit her lip nervously. _How long had the fire been out?_ She rushed over to the front door and using all her strength, pushed the snowmobile out of the way. Once she had made enough room, she pushed the door in and entered the cabin, thankful to have a place to take shelter from the cold, as little as it was.

She glanced around quickly, then nodded to herself once reassured. The snowmobile had done its job; no one had gotten in.

The cabin itself was quite small, almost quaint in a sense. It had only three rooms; a main area with a fireplace, wood stove, spindly table, and broken sofa; a bedroom with one full-sized bed, and a bathroom that was no longer operable. To make things easier, she’d moved the sofa and table out of the main room, and the bed to the main room, near the fireplace. And that was were Kristoff lay, currently fast asleep. The fire had died, and now only a few stray embers lay glowing in the hearth.

Anna slammed the door shut behind her and quickly ran to his side, alarmed at how pale he looked. “Kristoff?!” She gasped, leaning over the bed.

His body was still, and lips heavily chapped. She cupped his face to bring him closer, but his skin felt icy to her touch, and he didn’t move.

_No!_

“C’mon Kristoff,” she pleaded, pressing her head to his chest. To her relief, she could still hear his heart beating, and feel the gentle rise and fall of his chest, but he was still so cold, and she noticed that he’d started shaking in his sleep, brow furrowed deeply.

 _“Thank God,”_ she whispered, sighing in relief and stroking his stubble-clad jaw softly. “I thought…Nevermind, everything’s going to be okay. I’m here now, just let me warm you up.” She pulled off her heavy ski coat and laid it over his body, knowing the blanket he lay under was far too worn to keep him properly insulated. She then pulled away and quickly ran over to the fireplace, getting right to work on lighting it again.

Her movements seemed to rouse him, for a few moments later she suddenly felt his eyes on her, and heard the familiar sound of his shaky breathing, strained with cold and pain. “You’re back,” he mumbled.

She lit a match, and held it over the few dry logs still left in the hearth, blowing gently to coax the flames to life. “Yeah,” she replied, stepping back over to him only when the flames leapt up and began to take shape. “But I...I didn’t get your medicine. The pharmacy and general store were both empty.”

Anna saw the disappointment flash in his eyes, but it was quickly swallowed and followed by a nod of thoughtful understanding. “It’s okay,” he said, trying to sit up in bed. “I’m just glad you’re back.”

“I’ll try to go to the mall tomorrow, I saw a sign for one about 10 miles away.” She tried not to look at his wound, still bandaged with one of her old T-Shirts. “How’s the...uh…”

“Bullet wound?” He smiled grimly. “It’s okay, you can say it. It’s getting better. I mean, it still hurts like hell, but I actually walked around the cabin a little bit while you were out.”

She smiled softly. “Really?”

He nodded. “I had to lie back down, but it was better than nothing. I think I’m finally starting to get better.”

She really hoped so. It’d been almost 2 months since they left Hans’ camp, and they’d been out here for one of the two. She’d never had to rely completely on herself before, especially not with an injured man to take care of. Not only was having Kristoff injured difficult, but it was stressful, and she missed him terribly. The wound had taken its toll on him, and he was limited in how they could interact. There weren’t any more tender nights spend fireside or curious glances and smiles. Instead, long evenings spent in cold cots, soothing him through coughing fits and helping him sleep through the restless nights. It was a tough chore, but Anna didn’t mind it one bit; she would do anything to keep her love safe and sound. “That’s really good, Kris. I...I’m just glad you’re okay.”

He moved his hand out from under the blanket and held it out to her, relaxing only when she intertwined her fingers with his. “I told you, I’m going to be fine,” he insisted. “We’re going to make it out of this.”

Anna bit her tongue. _How could he be so sure?_

Kristoff smiled gently at her, and ran his thumb over her the silver chain on her wrist soothingly. “Everything will work itself out.”

Anna looked down to where her treasured bracelet rested. She’d never forget how she’d felt when she’d found it again, after dropping it in Hans’ cellar. She’d been lifting Kristoff onto a horse she’d stolen from the camp stable, nearly buckling under the weight. Her hands had been shaking and coated in blood, and she couldn’t stop sobbing. Her cries echoed throughout the now empty camp, the shame of slaughter hanging over her like a scarlet letter.

 _It was either them or you,_ she’d told herself, but it didn’t help. In the mists of her trying to escape the camp, 13 men had died at her hands, and she didn’t see how she’d ever ease the guilt.

Kristoff was still unconscious, and Anna had to hold onto both him and the bridle to keep him from slipping off the horse. It was then, in the middle of trying to keep him up, that she’d noticed it; the small silver chain, peeking out between his fingers.

She didn’t know how to respond at first. Knowing that he’d gone out of his way to save it for her, to make sure she got it back, both broke her heart and made it soar. He cared so much for her, and she just wished she’d have a chance to make it up to him.

Now, Anna clutched his hand, willing herself not to cry. All her worries and fears were building up so much she couldn’t hardly take it anymore. But she couldn’t cry, she wouldn’t allow herself too. She had to be strong for both of them, no matter how hard it was. She knew now that she needed Kristoff more than anything, and that if she gave up now, Kristoff wouldn’t have a chance. “You just...you have to get better,” she whispered, moving her free hand to cup his cheek softly. “Promise me you will.”

He looked at her, studying the worried look in her eyes, the shaking frown. Then he nodded; sternly, firmly. “I promise.”

She studied him back before nodding as well, accepting his answer. “Good.”

Kristoff rested his head back on the pillow. He gave off a tired sigh that showed how exhausted he truly was, and stared up at the ceiling, thinking.

Anna looked around the cabin absentmindedly. Even with the heat of the fire, it was still quite cold, especially now that she didn’t have a coat. Her teeth chattered as she brought her arms around herself, trying to keep warm.

Kristoff picked up on her discomfort immediately. “Are you cold?” He asked, eyeing her nervously.

She shivered. “A little.”

“Well, get over here,” he said, then blushed when he thought of how demanding it sounded. “I mean, if you’d like to. There’s plenty of blanket for both of us; we can keep each other warm.”

Anna held back a remark on how she didn’t think lying with him would help _her_ warm up, considering how cold he still was, and instead smiled softly and blushed. “Okay.”

Kristoff smiled, lifted up the thin blanket, and let her slide in on his right side, away from his healing wound. “Alright,” he murmured, wrapping one careful arm around her waist.

Anna blushed as she snuggled beside him. Even though a part of her was worried she would hurt him, she had to admit that this felt much nicer than lying on the broken couch alone. Kristoff’s chest was so broad, it was perfect for resting her head against. Not to mention there was nothing like the feeling of his strong arms curving around her, holding her close to him.

She wanted to tell him. The words were right on her tongue, even more so when she felt his lips ghost over her forehead. But what if he wasn’t in love with her too? She knew he cared for her, but the last thing she wanted was to chase him away, especially when they were both so vulnerable. So she held back, snuggled him a little tighter, and pressed her body closer to his. She would keep him warm, and safe; just like he’d done for her. If she wasn’t ready to say it, she would do everything she could to show how much she cared for him.

Kristoff buried his nose in her hair and held her close, and she finally let herself slip away, her worries disappearing like the light snowflakes that fell from above, blowing off into the wind, their fate unknown.

 

 


	19. The Present

**T** he next morning, Anna had trouble getting out of bed. She just felt so comfortably warm and at peace, going anywhere seemed excruciatingly difficult. She turned to look over at Kristoff, who was fast asleep and still had his arm wrapped around her. He was snoring softly, lips puckering slightly as he exhaled. His jaw was adorned with the promises of a growing beard, and while Anna had offered to shave it for him again, he’d put up a fuss and insisted that he needed it because it ‘kept him warm.’ Anna knew he secretly just liked the masculinity it gave him, and decided to just let him be. Besides, he didn’t look _that_ bad, quite the opposite, actually. She brought up a hand to cup his cheek softly, rubbing her thumb over the light scars on his skin.

She wanted to stay here, to just sleep through the morning and hold him through the night, but she knew she had to get going. Even though she would have preferred to lie in his arms all day, he needed some antibiotics, or at the very least some painkillers; anything to help him through the healing process.

With a heavy sigh, she reluctantly pulled herself away from him, pausing to run one gentle hand through his disheveled hair. “I’ll be back soon,” she whispered, smiling when the corners of his lips rose in his sleep.

She dressed herself in a grey sweater and her pink ski coat, slipped a small ration of food into her backpack, and loaded a pistol. Giving Kristoff one last hesitant look, she pushed open the door of the cabin and went back into the cold, ready for a long trek.  
The air was just as stiff and cold as it was yesterday, making it hard to hike through the deep snow. 20 miles to the mall and back would be no easy feat, and she just hoped she’d be able to make it back by the end of the day.

The sky was slowly fading from a deep night black to a bleak morning gray, making the eerie trees and shadows seem less looming and more muted. Even though she knew she was alone, she could never shake the feeling of being watched, followed. As much as she hated to admit it, Hans had taken a fraction of her trust with him, and she never knew if she’d ever get it back.

Her quickness worked to her advantage, as she made it to the mall in a little over 3 hours. The first thing she noticed upon her arrival was that the parking lot was massive, and covered in broken, crashed, smashed, and tipped-over cars. The vehicles were buried under snowdrifts, some almost completely, making them seem like large mountains blocking the entrance to the building. The wind was blowing harshly, whipping the loose snow into spiraling fractals. Icicles hung from car rims and tall lamp posts, adding a finishing touch to the icy fortress.

The mall itself was very large, and boarded off throughout. Signs reading, “ _Infected inside, STAY OUT!”_ were scribbled and painted over the walls, causing Anna to hesitate.

_Could it really be that bad?_

She shook her head as if to answer her own question. That could have been written long ago, and it looked like no one had been inside the mall for years. Who really knew what the inner status was? And besides, she didn’t have the option of turning back. While it might be dangerous, she knew she had to go inside. She’d searched the entirety of the rest of the town and come up empty, and Kristoff was too weak to move to another location. This was her last hope.

So, she took a deep breath and began trudging through the parking lot, trying to not fall over in the strong winds. Every step she took sent her sinking to her knees, whimpering at how bitterly cold it was. She practically had to wade her way through the parking lot, avoiding cars and other debris hidden in the snow.

The doors were all blocked off, and if there really were infected inside, Anna knew it would be foolish to try and pry the boards off; it would be far too loud and draw too much attention to herself. She would have to find another way in.

She walked along the outside of the building, trying to look for a good spot. The windows wouldn’t work, nor would the doors, so the only way in would be from above. Thankfully, there was indeed a fire escape near the back of the building, and she climbed it all the way up to the roof.

The wind was even harsher up here, and Anna fought to keep her balance. Despite the rough conditions, she came across a point of entry quickly; a skylight. Using all her strength, she braved the cold and managed to pry of the panels loose, letting mounds of snow fall through to the ground below. She peered in, and while it was dark, the light coming in from the now broken window showed her that it wouldn’t be a deadly drop; maybe 20-25 feet at most.

 _It was now or never._ She braced herself, and jumped through the window, into the darkness below.

With a hard thud, she fell against the tile floor, causing her to gasp at how much it pained her. _At least it was slightly warmer in here,_ she noted as she slowly stood up. _Well, barely._

The inside of the mall was as bleak and threatening as the outside. It was almost completely pitch black; the only source of light coming from the hole she’d just made in the ceiling. She seemed to be in some sort of department store, as there were shelves and racks of old, tattered clothing lying everywhere. Brittle jewelry cracked under her feet as she began walking towards the entrance. It’d been clear that chaos had happened in here, if all the mess was any indication. She lifted up the metal gate that closed off the store, and cautiously stepped out into the main hall of the shopping center.

Everything was so quiet. The only sounds to be heard were the faint roar of the wind outside, and the gentle dripping of water leaking through the ceiling. Thankfully, there were no infected croaks and moans, though she still couldn’t consider things safe.

Thick vines hung from the ceiling and brown grass sprung from below, creating a sort of jungle-like atmosphere. There were places where the floor tiles had sunken in and were now filled with frozen rainwater. All the shops were blocked off with metal gates, though Anna could tell at a glance that they were weak from years of rust.

It was so dark and damp, the perfect environment for the flourishing of the cordyceps. Anna had to get out her flashlight to see, which made things even more nerve-wracking. She felt like a character in one of those old horror movies she used to watch as a kid; she was all alone and danger was looming just around the corner.

 _Alright, there’s no time to be scared,_ she reminded herself. _You have to find some medicine._

She headed to where a directory sign stood in the middle of the plaza, but it was long since faded and too hard to read. She managed to rub enough grime off the glass to see a general layout of what the building looked like, though not what all the stores were.

“Great,” she mumbled. She decided to just go to the center of the mall, and work her way out. She followed the guide through the mall, always being mindful of watching for clickers. When she finally reached it, her heart stopped. What was before her was so surreal and unexpected she couldn’t help but stare. She had never expected to find something like this, but now that she had it both transfixed and jolted her senses.

Standing there, in the center of the mall, was the largest Christmas tree she’d ever seen. It towered so high it almost touched the ceiling, and while it’s branches were brown and long since dead, lights, tinsel, and ornaments were still hung from them.

She knew the infection hadn’t hit the entire country all at once. Some of the Northeastern states had a few more months before the virus had reached them. Anna remembered hearing things on the news about increases in hospital visits and illnesses, but as she was only 11, on the brink of 12, she hadn’t really cared. Many people passed it off as a little virus that would be exterminated quickly, and went about their daily lives. It wasn’t a surprise that this mall, so far away from the origin of the virus, would have been happily preparing itself for the holidays that would never come.

The sight of this once beautiful tree instantly brought Anna back to Christmases spent with Elsa, taking in all the decor and splendor of the giving season, and just enjoying being together. She could remember one time in particular, one that didn’t seem too long ago…

☳☳☳

“Come on Elsa!” Anna giggled, pulling her older sister by the hand and practically dragging her across the mall. “Look at all those toys!”

“Slow down!” Elsa exclaimed. Trying to keep up with Anna was like trying to stop a tornado; everywhere she went she was messy and loud and bursting with energy. But after 11 years of being sisters, Elsa had to say she was quite used to it by now.

Anna bounced over to the display of Teddy Bears, adorned in Christmas hats and ribbons. Their fur was soft and welcoming, and Anna immediately picked one up and buried her face in it. “Feel how fuzzy it is!”

Elsa smiled hesitantly, though petted one of the bears all the same. “We’re supposed to be shopping for Mother’s present,” she reminded her.

“Let’s get her the bear!” Anna squealed, lifting it up into her arms. “She’ll love it! It’s bigger than my whole head!”

“We need to get her a grown-up present,” Elsa insisted. “Like jewelry or perfume!”

Anna set the bear down and stuck out her tongue. “That’s boring.”

“Well, grown-ups like to be boring,” Elsa explained with a soft smile. “It’s just how they are. Why don’t you ask Santa for the bear?”

Anna gave her a look. “Because Santa is just Dad in a big suit! I’m too old to believe in him anymore.”

“Well, you never know what could happen,” Elsa said with a light laugh. She took her sister’s hand again, and began guiding her through the mall, which was completely decked out for the holiday next week. Tinsel hung from the ceiling, wreaths were on every blank stretch of wall, christmas lights dazzled in their eyes, and the timeless carols played through the halls.

The two girls searched through the entire plaza before they finally found a pretty sweater they knew their mother would like. Afterwards, Elsa decided that it was okay if they spent _a little_ time browsing, to which Anna responded with glee. The sisters had fun exploring the stores, pretending they were rich heiresses with plenty of money to spare. The two even got free hot chocolate from a vendor in the mall, complete with shiny peppermint sticks in the cups. Anna gulped hers down so quickly, she had a large whipped cream moustache above her lip and on her cheeks. Elsa giggled and just had to take a picture, despite Anna’s protests.

The idea seemed to be inspiring however, as moments later Anna spotted something that caught her eye; a photo booth, decorated with streamers and big red and green bows.

“Come on, let’s go in!” She giggled. “We just have to! These things are always so much fun!”

Elsa’s lips curved. “Well, I don’t see why not.”

They squeezed into the seat together, pulling the curtain shut behind them. Elsa took a neatly folded bill out of her coin purse and slipped it into the machine, all while Anna jumped and squirmed in her seat excitedly. “This is going to be so much fun!” The little girl squealed.

“Alright, calm down!” Elsa giggled, though her eyes lit up just as much as her sister’s when the machine came to life. Colorful imagery flashed across the screen while chipper music played, finally ending at the menu screen.

“Okay, so first we pick our theme!” Anna said excitedly. “Let’s do Christmas!” She leaned forward and selected the button, and the camera roll began.

The girls leaned close together. “Let’s do a silly one!” Anna said first, and the two stuck out their tongues and crossed their eyes. By the time the picture had taken, they were lost in deep fits of giggles.

“Now a scary one!” Elsa smiled, and they made their hands resemble claws and bared their teeth.

“Kissy faces!” Anna chirped, and they puckered their lips, batted their lashes, and fought back laughter.

“Alright, this is our last one,” Elsa said, “So let’s do it nice.”

Anna nodded, and the girls wrapped their arms around each other, pressed their cheeks together, and smiled their brightest. The picture took, and the machine printed out two photo strips.

The sisters each took one, and laughed at the results.

“I’m going to keep this forever,” Elsa sighed, eyes sparkling.

“Just like we’re going to be sisters forever!” Anna said, giving her sister a big hug. “Because you’re the best one and I love you and we’re never going to be apart!”

Elsa blushed and hugged her sister back. “I love you too, Anna.”

And in that moment, the love that linked them together was strong, and it flowed and soared and sang and in time, would become everlasting.

☳☳☳

Anna stood staring at the tree, her eyes glistening with tears. It’d been almost half a year now, and it still hurt terribly. She didn’t even remember what ever became of that photostrip, though she had to imagine she’d left it behind at home, if her house was still even there. For all she know, her home could have been burned down, looted by hunters, or maybe something worse...

Her throat started to clench, and her eyes began to sting. She tore her eyes away from the tree, wanting to scream. _It wasn’t fair!_ Why did she have to lose Elsa?! She was her sister, her best friend, her _everything_ , and suddenly all those harsh emotions from the night of her death came crashing back with full force. Anna buried her face in her hands, choking back heavy sobs.

Her sniffling was cut off by a far-off groan, followed by a series of clicks and croaks. The sounds echoed throughout the entire mall, following her right to the atrium. Her eyes widened in horror and realization. _So there_ were _infected in here._

She yanked her gun out of her pocket and took off in the opposite direction, reminding herself she didn’t have time to grieve. Yes, Elsa was gone, but crying about it would only waste more time that could have been spent helping Kristoff stay alive, not to mention this mall was extremely dangerous. She wiped at her eyes as she ran, still fighting off tears while looking for any shop that might of stocked medicine.

The first place she ducked into was a vitamin store. Thankfully, the infected hadn’t seemed to have heard her, as their wails seemed as far away as they did the first time she’d heard them.

 _Alright, focus!_ She ordered herself as she began pillaging through the wreckage that was the store. As usual, tipped-over shelves were everywhere. It seemed as if someone had tried to make a barricade out of racks, one that blocked anyone, or any _thing_ , from entering the store. Anna climbed over it carefully, and made it to the other side. Vitamin bottles were scattered across the floor and Anna immediately got to work, searching through every last one. To her surprise, there was far more of a selection here than there’d been in town. She found several usable bottles, the problem was that none of them would be useful for helping Kristoff. Children’s tablets, Magnesium pills, B12…

It wasn’t until she’d almost searched every bottle that she finally found it. “Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate?” She frowned. She turned the bottle over, and squinted to read the faded label. “Helps with...increasing anabolic hormone levels and muscle strength...it may also help to increase endurance, healing, growth and restful sleep!” That sounded good to her. It looked like it was meant for athletes, but was better than nothing. She took the bottle along with some Vitamin C capsules she found next to it, and tucked them all securely inside her backpack.

But while this discovery was great, it still wouldn’t be enough. Anna needed some medical supplies, like bandages and alcohol. She would have to keep searching.

Anna climbed back over the barrier, and headed to the metal gate that closed the store off. She was just bending over, ready to lift it up and be on her way when she heard it.

Her eyes widened, and she immediately dropped the gate and backed into the corner of the wall. The gate came clambering down, landing against the floor with a loud crash. The shrieks increased in volume, and the sounds of running footsteps drew nearer.

Anna shook, and she held her breath, eyes wide. _Stay calm, everything’s going to be okay._

The infected pounced on the gate, clawing at the bars and trying to break into the shop. The sounds of their wails and gnashing of teeth made the walls shake, and Anna just kept telling herself to stay quiet, to just give them time to give up and leave.

After almost 10 minutes, they finally seemed to have lost interest in the now silent shop, and started walking off in other directions. Their footsteps were heavy and slow, and Anna cringed as they jerked their heads to the side sporadically, as if they were in great pain.

 _Finally._ Once she was certain they were far off, she stepped back over to the gate, lifted it up gently, and slipped out.

The clickers were still further down the hallway, near a women’s fashion store, but Anna didn’t have time to wait for them to clear out. She would just have to stay quiet.

She tip-toed down the hall, glancing over her shoulder every few minutes or so to make sure they weren’t following her. It was a rather large group of infected too; about 15 or 20 in all. They seemed to have all come from the Southern half of the mall, and Anna knew that the infected were once people too, and that where they congregated together could have some significance. Maybe they’d been survivors camping out here, and had left behind some supplies she could use. It was a stretch, but one she was willing to risk.

Anna walked up the broken escalator, being careful not to trip or make any noise. It took some exploring, but she turned out to be right. In the corner of the mall was a military set-up. It was a small-fenced in area, with a sign that read, _Mandatory Check-In Station._ Inside the area there were tables covered in washed-out files and documents, bullet shells on the floor, and empty rifles. A large tent sat in the center, one of its flaps fluttering gently in the cold chill that swept through the mall.

Anna hesitated, but stepped closer to it. If there were any medical supplies, the military would have definitely kept them out of sight. She lifted one flap of the tent open, and peeked inside.

With a gasp, she dropped the flap and took several steps back. Sitting inside the tent was a clicker, head fallen back and fungi sprouting all around it. However, it was silent, and motionless. Anna took a deep breath, and looked back inside. The fungi seemed to have intertwined the clicker’s body to the wall behind it, as trails of cordyceps linked them and spread out everywhere. There was a bullet wound in its chest, but beside it, a small, white metal box, with a red cross on top.

 _A first aid kit!_ If she could just get to it, that’d fix everything! Even though reaching it would have to mean getting close to the clicker, a daunting task that admittedly scared her, she knew she had to do it. She’d come too far to give up now.

Anna steadied her breathing and leaned forward. “ _Please_ don’t wake up,” she whispered, cautiously leaning one shaking hand closer.

The body didn’t respond, and Anna snatched the kit up and took several quick steps back. She flipped open the latch, and was relieved to see it still had several medical supplies inside. The sight made her gasp aloud, and she beamed in relief. _Finally, something good!_ There were band-aids, gauzes, rubbing alcohol, a thermometer, and much more. Plenty of supplies to help Kristoff.

She hugged the kit tightly and let out one nervous laugh. Now she could go back! She could go back to Kristoff and fix him and it would all be okay! She took her backpack off and slipped the metal box inside, wincing slightly at the heavier weight.

Anna headed back the way she came, wanting to exit the shopping center as soon as possible. On her way out, a display caught her eye. It once again brought her back to her day with Elsa, and after thinking for a moment, she knew she had to get something for Kristoff. After all their days of hardship and misery, she decided they would celebrate Christmas today. She already had two things for him, and while it may have seemed a little silly, she had the feeling Kristoff (and she) could use something to relieve the stress.

With an excited smile, she took an item from the display, and slipped it into her pocket. Then she continued on her way, looking for an exit.

Everything was going fine. She was heading back to where she’d entered when the floor under her feet creaked. Anna looked down, and managed to jump out of the way, but it was still too late. The tiles caved in, and fell down to the basement below with a deafening crash.

_Shit._

The screams tore through the entire building, and within seconds the horde of clickers was rushing down the hallway, right towards her.

Anna’s heart stopped, but she didn’t let that stop her from running for dear life.

The sounds of the clickers seemed to draw even more over, as the horde grew rapidly in number, volume, and ferocity. It was like being in the sewer all over again; humid, dark, and intense; only this time it was even worse - she was completely alone, and very afraid.

There had to be a bloater in the group, the second to final stage of the infection in which the body was completely covered in the cordyceps. Kristoff had described them as large, disgusting, and like the namesake, bloated. Anna glanced over her shoulders and saw one, towering and croaking deeply. It reeled its head back and shot out a spore that exploded only a few feet away from her. Anna knew breathing the spores in would infect her, and her eyes widened as she clamped her hand over her mouth.

_How was she going to get out of here?!_

They were getting closer, faster. The spores were raining down from above, barely missing her. With each explosion, the contaminated green dust filled the air and clouded her vision. The stores were all gated off, there were no windows, and there was no way she was going to make it to the roof again. Anna had no other choice but to head to the front door, and begin trying to kick it down. She got out her gun and shot at the handle, and then at the boards.

She could hear them closing in, she didn’t have much time.

Anna shoved her gun into her pocket and wrenched the rotted wood off the door. A clicker grabbed at one of her braids, but instinct took over just in time for her to turn, shoot it in the face, and run faster than she ever had before.

Venturing through the parking lot was much easier leaving than entering, as her survival instincts had set in. She dashed through the snow as the clickers flooded out of the building and into the snow, shrieking at the bitter cold.

Anna didn’t look back. As she bolted through the deep snow she gradually heard their shrieks and wails fade away until she could barely hear them at all, but she still didn’t stop. She just ran and ran and ran until her legs wore out and she slipped and tumbled down a hill, rolled in the snow, and landed on her back. Her mind was reeling as she blinked up at the sky, trying to catch her breath. The world was spinning, her body was sore, and light snowflakes were falling in her eyes, landing softly on her lashes. There was a ringing in her ears, and her heart was hammering in her chest.

The wind blew and shook the tree branches, causing light snow to fall from the branches and swirl in the air. Out of her peripheral vision she could see the ski slopes off in the distance. The wood was silent. No clicks or croaks or screams.

_She’d made it._

Anna gasped in relief, still unable to move from the sheer shock of her feat. She laughed a bubbling, disbelieving laugh and stared up into the heavens. Every breath she took was savored and precious, and as the white sky stared back at her, she was never more grateful for having a beating heart, a mind soaring, and a body rejoicing in the sweet breath of life.

☳☳☳

She made it back to the cabin just before sunset. She unlocked the door and was happy to see Kristof lying awake in bed, watching the embers as they popped and glowed. “I’m back!”

He turned to her, looking relieved. “I was starting to think you’d never come back,” he joked. “You were gone all day.”

Anna walked over to the fireplace to tend the hearth. “I told you it was 10 miles away. But the good news is, I got you some vitamins, and a first aid kit! That place was a gold mine! Well, a dangerous one.”

He coughed raspily before sitting up in bed, trying to look more comfortable than he really was. “That’s amazing! I knew you had it in you.”

Anna blushed with both pride and bashfulness, and once the fire was re-lit rushed over to him. She pulled the kit out of her backpack and immediately got to work. She lifted his shirt up, removed the old makeshift gauze from him, and tried not to cringe at the dark red wound in his side. Even though she could tell it was healing, it still looked pretty bad, not to mention painful.

She then rubbed the wound down with rubbing alcohol, making sure to soothe him when he whimpered at how badly it stung. Then she re-bandaged him properly, gave him a few vitamins, and let him lie back in bed. “There,” she said, smiling gently at him. “Hopefully that should help.”

Kristoff sighed as he rested his head on the pillow, never taking his gaze off her. “Thank you, Anna. Really.”

“And...I also got you something else...” She blushed, sitting on the edge of his bed. “A present.”

He eyed her. “Why?”

“Because!” She exclaimed. “When I went to the mall, it was all set up for Christmas stuff. You know how they used to do that back in October and September. And it just reminded me that for all we know, it _could_ be Christmas today! And...I just wanted to cheer you up, since you’ve been kind of cooped up in here.”

He paused for a moment, as if he couldn’t believe what she was saying, and then smiled affectionately at her. “Anna...God, you didn’t have to do that. The first aid kit is enough of a present.”

“But I wanted to get you something special!” She pouted, giving him her most innocent, pleading gaze.

He sighed, thought for a moment, and then reluctantly smiled at her. “Alright.”

She squealed. “Okay! Close your eyes! It’s not much, but you’ll see in a moment!” She hadn’t felt this giddy in a long while, and the grin on Kristoff’s face showed that he was enjoying it too. She just couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he saw it!

Anna took her gift out of her coat pocket, where she’d wrapped it with her scarf. Holding back a nervous giggle, she held the object close to him, unable to keep the smile off her face. “Alright, open!”

Kristoff’s eyes widened, and he looked at the object crossed-eyed. “What the hell is that?”

Anna beamed at him. “A reindeer!” She wasn’t lying. The display she’d come across had been on of old display of Christmas toys, most destroyed from years of being left to the elements. But she’d been able to salvage one thing; a small, stuffed reindeer, complete with a red Christmas bow around its neck **.** “I already gave him a name: Sven!”

Kristoff snorted, smiling as he took the toy from her hands and turned it over in his hands. “Sven?”

“Yes! And he’s for you!”

Kristoff grinned and shook his head. “You’re incredible,” he said, looking up at her with warm eyes. There was a certain spark in them Anna hadn’t seen since he’d been injured, and it gave her that small, flickering hope that maybe he’d be okay again. Maybe Kristoff could get better, maybe things could improve. They had the first aid kit now, and she was readily willing to use it all on him.

Anna didn’t want to dream, she didn’t want to get her expectations up only to have them come crashing down. But it was too late; seeing him laugh, smile, and beam at her had planted the first seed, and before long her hope was blossoming and sprouting and blooming within her.

She couldn’t help but return his smile and lean closer to him. “Merry Christmas!” She whispered, her cheeks turning pink.

“You too...I’ll keep Sven forever.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Good,” She said softly, and she pulled her coat off and lay beside him in the bed, returning to the position they’d been in this morning. Kristoff put the reindeer toy down and let it lie on the bed between them, as if to keep it safe.

They lay in silence for awhile, thinking on what to say and secretly already knowing what was on the other’s mind. Anna loved to talk, but she also moved moments like this, where it was just the two of them and their thoughts.

“I...I missed you while I was out.” The words had slipped from her mouth before she’d even had a moment to realize that neither of them ever really spoke of their affections aloud, and that this was quite different for them. But at the same time, she found she didn’t really mind at all. Having almost died in the mall today, and spending those few moments reflecting on her sister’s passing, Anna had a sudden sense of urgency pressing upon her. Even though she had the tools to help Kristoff now, he was the only one she had left in this world. If something went wrong, if things didn’t work out; she’d be lost, hopeless. At the start of this journey, she’d wanted nothing more than to get the cure, and leave Kristoff alone to do as he pleased. Now the thought pained her to no end.

Kristoff noticed her sudden change in expression; her furrowed brow and brooding eyes, and ran his hand up the side of her arm, pulling her closer. “What’s going on?”

“It’s just...I had a close call today and things got really scary and I thought I wasn’t going to make it and then I thought of Elsa and when we were kids and it isn’t right that she was taken away so soon because she always wanted the best for me and I just thought that after losing her there’s no way I could lose you too!”

He blinked at her. “What are you saying?”

“Just that we don’t know what’s going to happen! The future is dark and I hate not knowing what’s on the other side! We could die today, tomorrow, or even 5 minutes from now. That’s all it takes! And I don’t want to lose you!”

He held her closer. “You’re not going to, I promised you.”

She nodded shakily, blinking back the tears that wanted to surface and instead smiling lovingly at him. “I just...you mean so much to me, and the last thing I want is for something to happen to one of us and knowing I never got a chance to do this.”

“And what’s that?”

She looked him in the eye, took a breath, and then kissed him. She felt him freeze, eyes widened, but he slowly melted into her embrace and let their bodies do the rest.

Her hands cupped his cheeks, her eyes fluttered, and their lips met with the sheer love and passion they’d been holding back for so long. It was both the simplest and yet the sweetest, most intimate moment she’d ever experienced.

His lips were chapped in some places, and wonderfully soft in others. He had a certain taste to him that she couldn’t quite point out, though it was very raw and musky and hot. She felt him moan softly as she leaned in more, still careful of not pressing too close, of breaking this newfound spell that blossomed around them as they let themselves get lost in each other. His fingers cupped her face, her arms wrapped around his neck, and neither ever wanted time to persist.

 


	20. The Last Dance

**I** t would be an understatement to say that the two were smitten with one another. Neither Anna or Kristoff could get enough of each other. Now that the awkwardness had been shoved aside, they spent their days snuggled in each other’s arms, kissing softly, roughly, sweetly, passionately, tenderly, playfully, and everything else in between. Despite Kristoff’s injury, the two still found ways to express their feelings through gentle touches and hot kisses that steamed and electrified the small cabin.

For those few weeks, Anna almost even forgot about the cure, the infection, and the disaster around them. All she knew was that she loved the way he whispered ‘Good Morning,’ in her ear, the way his lips would caress her shy smile, and how they’d spend nights simply holding each other and talking about anything and everything. It was like they were in their own little world. Time and space had ceased and all they knew was the feel of each other and the tender nights spent bundled in each other’s arms.

“You make me so soft,” Kristoff mumbled one evening as he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck.

“Good,” Anna replied with a giggle, running one hand through his disheveled hair. She loved him like this, for he was far different from the man she’d met 6 months ago. This man was loving, passionate and protective of her. Anna only wish she’d known how much he cared for her earlier; they could have been kissing and holding each other like this all along, instead of bickering all the time.

“When did you start to like me?” She whispered, turning to look at him.

He thought. “I guess...when you drove us out of that hunter’s town.”

Her eyes lit up. “Really?”

He nodded shyly. “It was just pretty badass…”

She smiled proudly. “Thank you.”

“What about you?”

“Uh...when you taught me how to shoot,” she blushed. “You were just really good at it and nice to me! And I really liked it and got all flustered but I tried to hide it because I though you’d think I was weird, though that was hard because your muscles are really big and one time I saw you bathing in the river and they looked really good.”

His eyes widened. “Wait, _what?”_

She quickly silenced him with a kiss.

☳☳☳

Thanks to the medical supplies, Kristoff’s health was slowly improving. Anna had even started helping him walk around the cabin. They’d wait for a day where the room wasn’t so chilly and then he’d wrap his arm around her neck and she’d guide him, trying to help with the pain.

“Just a few more steps!” She’d say encouragingly, “You can do it!”

“I know I can!” He’d grunt, though his eyes exposed his true pain. Anna knew he was longing to get better, and that he hated sitting in bed all day while she was out alone looking for food and firewood. It wasn’t so much even an issue of masculinity, but that he worried for her. He knew she was strong, but it wasn’t safe for her to be alone in such a harsh winter, in such a bitter world. So he kept trying to improve, trying to stay on his feet more, trying to fight for her.

“You’re pushing yourself, Kris,” Anna murmured to him one night as he lay huddled in bed, wincing in pain.

“No I’m not!” He replied firmly, and Anna didn’t press him further. They both knew how stubborn he was, and that he wouldn’t give up until he was better. But there were inevitable times when the pain set in, or he was stuck in bed with chills or a cold. All the bandages, vitamins, and stubbornness wouldn’t be of much help then, and Anna had nothing more to do than make sure he stayed warm, and try to get him through this.

Sven proved to be a lot of help, as Anna loved to entertain Kristoff with him. When he was too weak to get out of bed Anna would put on little shows of sorts with the reindeer, anything from stand-up comedy to storytelling. Sometimes she would pretend to talk to Sven and Kristoff would reply for him in both the funniest and most obnoxious voice she’d ever heard. It was silly, strange, and borderline insane, but neither of them minded. They were happy, they were together, and that was all that mattered.

☳☳☳

One evening, Anna came back with a surprise for Kristoff, and to her astonishment, he had one too. He was sitting up in bed, Sven beside him, reading a small book that looked like it’d seen better days. His eyebrows were curved upward in amusement, and he seemed completely engrossed in it.

Anna closed the front door behind her. “Kristoff?”

He didn’t look up. “Remember when this was all we had to worry about?” He asked, flipping through the pages. “Dating? School? Friends?”

Anna’s brow furrowed. “What is that? And where did you get it?”

He shrugged and finally looked up at her. “Found it. It looks like some kid’s diary or something. It’s dated 2006. Can you believe that’s already 20 years ago?”

“Kristoff!” Anna pouted. She walked over to him, took the faded journal from his hands, and held it protectively in her own . “You can’t read other people’s diaries! They’re private!”

He gave her a look. “I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t mind. If she’s still even alive.”

“ _Kristoff!”_ She snapped. “That’s not funny!”

“I wasn’t trying to be!” He pouted. He looked upset that he’d angered her. “But it’s interesting! And sorry, but staring at a wall for hours is extremely boring. I just wanted something to do. And besides, Sven likes it too.” He motioned to the toy, whom he made nod in agreement.

Anna hesitated and looked at the book in her hands. “Still…”

“It’s funny!” He insisted, a smile tugging on the corner of his lips. “All she ever does is talk about this boy named Johnny who lives across the lake, and how she leaves him love notes by his skiing equipment. It’s borderline stalking.”

Anna eyed him wryly. “Well, every teenage girl stalked a boy at some point.”

He paused. “Really?”

“Totally,” she giggled as she crawled into bed beside him. “But I’m sure you had _loads_ of girls lusting after you; you being so handsome and amazing and perfect in every way.”

Kristoff blushed all the way to his ears. “Yeah, right,” he snorted dismissively, taking the book back from her.

“It must be true!” Anna teased, loving how pink he was turning. “How many were there? Two? Three? Five? Ten? You must have gotten lots of kisses.”

“You were the first, actually,” he shrugged, and the admission made Anna freeze in place and smile shyly. “Now if you don’t mind, I need to get back to this fine piece of literature. She was just about to go on a ‘date’ to the ski hill with Johnny and his girlfriend.”

Anna sat up. “Wait! I have something to show you!”

He eyed her. “Don’t tell me it’s another stuffed animal. Sven will be jealous.”

“No!” She giggled with a roll of her eyes. She walked over to her backpack, and pulled out a cassette radio. “Look what I found! It still works and it even has a tape in it!”

He hesitated. “Last time we had one of those we attracted a horde of infected, and Hans, who was insane.”

Anna held the radio close to her. “I know, but I thought it could be nice. We’re inside, and I haven’t seen any clickers in the woods here. And we can play it really quietly!”

He sighed. “I...I guess so. We’ll just have to be careful…”

Anna beamed at him. “Yay! I didn’t get to listen to the tape but it _looks_ really good.”

Kristoff set the journal aside. “Those things were old when we were little. I can’t believe it still works now.”

Anna shrugged, and set the radio on the table in the corner of the room. “At least you won’t be so bored now.”

“Or you could just stay here with me all day,” He suggested, giving her a playful smile.

She blushed. “Or I could make sure we have food to eat.”

“I guess that’s good too.”

Anna turned the radio on, and pressed play on the device. To both of their delight, a romantic melody began to play, composed of soothing guitars, harmonicas, and violins that gave the song a rustic, indie feel.

“This is lovely,” Anna sighed. She shut her eyes, swayed on the spot, and took in the song in like a breath of fresh air. “Doesn’t it just make you want to dance?”

“Oh, yeah,” Kristoff said bitterly, “I could just jump up on my feet right now.”

Anna paused, immediately feeling guilty. “Oh, no! I’m sorry, Kristoff. I didn’t mean-”

“No, you know what, it’s fine,” he snapped, “You want to dance? We’re gonna dance.”

Anna’s eyes widened. “Kristoff! No! You need rest! I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”

“It’s not that,” he grunted. He pushed himself off the mattress, and stepped over slowly to her. “I hate lying around all day, and I want you to be happy. I’m not going to let this fucking bullet wound stop us from being a normal couple.”

Anna smiled softly at him. “I’m pretty sure the whole world is going to stop us from being a ‘normal couple’.”

“Then screw the world,” he said, and with a single tug pulled her into his arms. “We’re going to be together.”

The song went on, and Kristoff held her in his arms, hiding any feelings of pain he may have had. He was completely devoted to making her feel good as they danced, to take her away from the pain of this infected country, if only for a moment. His touch was gentle, but firm enough to keep her close and safe. When the music swelled, he even dared to dip her gracefully.

Anna came back up with a giggle, surprised at this sudden show of affection. She quickly got lost in the dance, in the way he gently twirled, rocked, and held her.

She wanted to tell him she loved him, but her mind was too bubbly and she felt completely drunk with affection that she found she couldn’t speak at all. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and rested her head against his chest.

Though they weren’t really dancing, rather just rocking in place, it felt more magical than Anna could have ever asked for. The music led them along, and they swayed to the rhythm like two ships floating along the sea.

They danced in silence for several long moments, simply drinking in the pleasant feelings of being close like this. Anna held her breath for fear of breaking the moment, and pressed her ear to his heart. Their feet fell in step together, and their hearts beat in usion.

“I wish we could have met under different circumstances,” Kristoff murmured. The pain was heavy in his tone, and his arms held her tighter. “I wish we could have our lives back.”

Anna buried her face in his chest, breathing in the comforting scent that couldn’t be labeled as anything other than _Kristoff._ She thought of what the world could have been, of how this virus had robbed her of her family, her sister, her home; her chance at ever living a normal life. She wanted to go on dates with Kristoff, to go see movies, to maybe even get married one day. But the world was empty and barren, and she knew it wouldn’t help to daydream.

“Me too,” she whispered. “But...we have each other, and no one can take that from us. We can’t forget that.”

He nodded, kissed her temple, and rubbed his hands down her back. Then they spoke no more, and simply listened to the sound of the music lulling them into oblivion. Outside, the snow was falling faster now, the sun went down, and time was still.

☳☳☳

They’d fallen asleep after dancing. When Anna awoke, the room was dark and cold. Frost had encrusted the windows, making the evening light weak and mute. The bed felt empty, and when she turned to look beside her Kristoff wasn’t there. Sven was still nestled where Kristoff had left him and his backpack was still in the corner, untouched. As Anna looked around the room she began to feel more nervous that she didn’t see Kristoff or hear him anywhere.

“Kris?” She called out, reaching one hand down for the gun she’d put under the bed.

No answer.

Something didn’t feel right. She stood up and began inspecting the other rooms, but to no avail. The cabin was small, and it only took a few moments to know that he wasn’t here.

Her hands started to shake as she walked into the main room. _Where was he?_ Even though he was getting better, he wasn’t well enough to head out on his own! And besides, he would have told her!

She felt a chill, and noticed the front door was slightly open. Anna frowned and walked towards it, gun outstretched. _He better just be using the bathroom or getting some air,_ she thought, otherwise she was going to kill him for joking around like this.

As she pushed the door open, the cold air greeted her with full force. Her braids whipped across her face and the snow fell in her eyes, blinding her. They were in the midsts of a harsh winter blizzard, and the wind howled and made the world white.

“KRISTOFF!” Anna called, but her voice was lost in the roar of the whipping snow and moaning trees. She shielded her eyes from the wind and managed to make out several large footprints that started at the front door and continued further towards the woods.

Anna hesitated, but followed them, nearly falling over from the ferocity of the blizzard. The trail ended right before the treeline, and upon reaching it, she stopped dead in her tracks, for what she saw was more terrifying and shocking than she could have ever imagined.

The footprints had turned into deep lines; lines that indicated someone had been roughly dragged into the woods. Kristoff’s coat lay in a crumpled heap in the snow, looking as if it had been trampled on. The snow was stained a dark ruby red, with splatters of blood dotted all around it. And leading the way, broken tree branches, all covered in bloody handprints.

The horror was too great; she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. Anna put a hand over her mouth and screamed, but the wind once again swallowed the sound and left her feeling weak and breathless.

“ _KRISTOFF!”_


	21. The Longest Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry there wasn't a chapter up Friday. Last week was super hectic and Thursday sucked so the chapter didn't get done. But, here it is now, and I'll still try to get one up for Friday!

**A** lright, so Kristoff was missing. Anna was trying to stay calm, but at the moment her hands were shaking, her heart had stopped, and she felt like she was being suffocated. Who was she kidding? There was no staying calm, not when Kristoff was out there somewhere, hurt, lost, alone, and in danger! She paced back and forth in the cabin, trying to come up with some answers.

_Things could still be okay, maybe he just got lost!_

_What about all the blood?_

_It could be from an animal! Maybe he just went hunting!_

_Without his backpack and coat?_

_Maybe some clickers got him!_

_How is that any better?_

She felt like she was going to be sick. Kristoff was injured already, and there’d been so much blood outside…

_“K-kristoff!”_ She whispered again, her voice cracking. Her knees gave out and she sat on the bed, burying her head between her legs. Just the thought of him out there, alone, with no one to help him, was terrifying. He was still recovering and she didn’t know whether or not he’d have the strength to fight.

Her mind was all over the place, but at the center of it all was flashbacks to the night she’d spent holding him in her arms, trying not to cry as the blood flowed from his fresh bullet wound.

_“So you take a bullet for me?! Why would you do that!?”_

_“B-because...I...I lo-”_

He loved her. She knew he did, and that he’d wanted those to be his last words. If he was to die that night, he had to tell her, and now Anna knew she had to do the same.

There was no other option; she had to go after him while the tracks were fresh. The blizzard was still going strong, and she wouldn’t have much time.

Even so, she wouldn’t give up; she would find Kristoff. And if it cost her life in the process, so be it.

It was still dark out, but she was going to leave at once. Anna ran about the cabin, collecting her things quickly, loading her weapons, throwing on her coat. The last thing she did before sheleft the cabin was slip Sven into her backpack, making sure that he was safe and secure inside **.** Even though the little toy seemed so juvenile now, it felt like she would be carrying a tiny part of Kristoff with her during her rescue.

She’d lost her parents, her life, and most painful of all, Elsa, and it would be over her dead body, literally, that she’d let anyone hurt Kristoff. She pulled her hair under her wool cap, slung her bow over her shoulder, and shoved the front door open. “I won’t let you down, Kris,” shewhispered with determination. _“I will find you.”_

☳☳☳

The first sense to rouse him was the strong smell of blood, followed by the sharp scent of ammonia and bleach. The combination was metallic, bitter, and vile, and it caused Kristoff to open his eyes and cough violently. His head was pounding, blood was dried under his nose and in his hair, and he could hardly think, but then again, at least he was alive.

He glanced around the chilled room, trying to make out shapes in the darkness. He seemed to be in a sort of industrial basement; there was a large refrigerator, cardboard boxes scattered about, and in the center of the room, a sizeable metal table. There were metal shelves against the walls, full of jars whose contents were dark and murky. There was a metal door in the corner and little windows near the ceiling that were shielded by mounds of snow, making the light in the room almost non-existent and gray.

_Where the hell was he?_

It took him a moment to realize that his arms were chained above his head. He tried to tug them loose, but the chains were bolted to the wall.

_Shit._

His heart quickened, and he began to realize he may have been in more danger than he knew. The room was so cold, Kristoff’s breath came out in small puffs of air, and he could already feel his body start to shake.

“A-anna…” he mumbled, and he found his voice was hoarse and putting any syllables together was strenuous.

He tried to think back to earlier, to remember what had happened. All he could recall was waking up, hearing a noise, and going outside to investigate. He hadn’t wanted to wake her, so he’d gone out alone, only to be ambushed and attacked…the rest was all a blur.

So Anna was alone, in the cabin, at risk. What if the men that had taken him came back for her? What if they had her right now!? Who knew what they could be doing to her!?

“Come on!” He growled, tugging at his constraints roughly, trying to break free. He had to get out of here, he had to get to Anna, he had to-

“It’s no use,” a voice said, so faint he barely heard it.

Kristoff froze in place and glanced around the room wildly. “Who’s there!?” He barked. “Show yourself!”

“Don’t yell,” the voice murmured. “It’ll make them come down here...”

Kristoff looked to his left and finally spotted the source of the voice; a frail, slender woman chained to the wall just like he was. Her hair was wispy and flaxen, and she had dark circles under her eyes. Beside her was a young boy who looked no older than 12 or 13. He had a dirty face and scruffy brown hair, and was chained just as they were.

Kristoff frowned. “Who...who are you? What are you doing down here?”

The woman looked away from him, her face gaunt and almost ghostly. “The same as you,” she answered. “We’re their prisoners.”

His eyes narrowed. “Whose prisoners? The 2 men that took us?”

She shook her head. “There’s more than 2. I’m not sure the exact amount...dozens, maybe. They’re all sick…”

“You mean they’re infected!?”

“No, I mean…”

“They’re going to hurt us,” the boy whimpered, finally speaking up. “We saw it happen to the people before us. They tried to make us eat the last one they took.”

Kristoff frowned even more. His gut sank, but what they were saying was still confusing, and didn’t make sense. “Eat what?”

The boy bit his lip, looking guilty. “Th-the...the…people.” His voice broke, and he burst into shameful, sniveling tears.

Kristoff looked up to the mother in horror, but she simply looked away. “They already took my husband,” she said coldly, though Kristoff could hear the familiar weight of grief. “Then it’ll be us...and then you…”

He felt nauseous and dizzy. “Y-you mean they….they’re…” He looked back to the shelves on the walls, and now noticed the dark jars were full of parts. Organs, limbs...the rest was too graphic and disturbing to comprehend. “H-holy shit…”

Then he passed out.

☳☳☳

Tracking turned out to be much harder than Anna had initially expected. The blizzard was still raging on, and as it was nighttime **,** her flashlight was her only source of light. The blood trail had faded, which was slightly reassuring, as it looked like he hadn’t bled out, though she couldn’t be certain.

_Please let him be okay,_ she kept praying as she dashed through the woods, trying to keep from getting frostbite. It was getting colder by the minute, and her brain felt like it was starting to freeze over. Her heart was telling her she needed to take a break, even if it was only 5 minutes long, but she just ignored it and moved onward through the forest and up the large ski mountains. She didn’t have time to waste. Besides, the footprints were starting to fill more rapidly now, she had to hurry.

Sometime around 1 or 2 am, Anna pushed through the trees and found herself standing at the edge of a vast lake. The tracks seemed to stop right at the foot of the water. The lake was completely frozen solid, so they must have taken Kristoff across.

It was dangerous, deadly even. Even standing here on the edge she could hear the water slowly creak and groan under the ice. To walk along the edge of the lake would take too long, and by the time she came around the footprints could be completely gone.

She was scared. As much as she hated to admit it, it was true. When she was little, she had been terrified of ice skating on lakes just because the prospect of falling through ice and both freezing and drowning to death seemed insufferable. But she’d come so far already, she couldn’t let a stupid fear hold her back now. She had to be strong, she had to fight for Kristoff.

_It was now or never._

Anna took one step onto the ice, and was relieved to hear no cracking. The wind seemed to be louder as she slowly crossed the lake. It was now wailing, and off in the distance Anna could hear the sound of wolves howling in response.

Bubbles formed under the surface of the ice with each step she took, further reminding her how precarious her predicament was. She just had to move slow and steady, any sudden movements and she’d be done for.

Anna had to force herself to keep her eyes ahead of her. As thick as it looked, the ice was very clear and all she had to do to see the black abyss below her was take a single look down. Her hands and feet were shaking enough already, she didn’t need to make herself even more anxious.

_Just keep going, you’re doing fine._

Within 10 minutes she made it to the center of the lake, but as the water was the deepest here, it was also the most dangerous. Her hair smacked against her face, the air roared in her ears, the trees creaked in the wind, there was a crack, the ice below her feet gave way, and then she fell, down, down, down…

It all happened so fast, she barely registered that it had. The cold had numbed her thoughts, and it wasn’t until it was too late that she realized she was underwater. The pain shot through her from all sides. It was so excruciatingly cold, she could barely move her arms or legs. Her mind was screaming for her to move, but her clothes and backpack anchored her, and she was falling fast.

The water was dark, murky, and eerily silent. She kicked her arms and thrashed her legs, but she only sank further. Bubbles filled her throat as she screamed for help, but it only made her choke uncontrollably.

As she sank further into the water, Anna’s head started to pound more. There was so much pressure, compressing her in, she felt like she was going to explode. She clawed at the water in front of her, but it was no use, her arms were too tired and her body was too heavy to move.

She was running out of time, she had to ditch her backpack; it was her only hope. As much as it pained her knowing she’d be losing all their food, most of her clothes, her weapons, and worst of all; Sven, the backpack was far too heavy. Before she could give herself time to reconsider, she yanked her gun out of the front pocket, shrugged the bag off, and started trying to swim to the surface.

Her ears were popping, her veins felt like ice, and the water was like thousands of white-hot needles, stabbing and prodding her. The light from the hole in the ice was getting closer as she kept pushing herself forward. She wouldn’t give up, she wasn’t going to die, not now.

With a forceful lunge, she threw herself out of the water and onto the ice, gasping and sputtering for air. Her body was convulsing from the cold, and she coughed up large amounts of water.

_She made it._

But there was no time for victory. As soon as she was pushed herself onto the ice, she heard it begin to crack. Anna scrambled to her feet and began to run as ice caved in all around her. The cracks spread out like veins as she started to jump from one section of ice to another. She was almost near the edge, but the ice was quicker. It split in front of her and she had no other choice than to fling herself towards the shore. Her hands dug into a snowdrift, and her feet landed back in the freezing water. With the last ounce of strength in her, she dragged herself onto the shore and collapsed into a crumpled, shivering heap.

_You’re okay, you’re alive!_

Anna gasped happily, though it was only a few seconds before the dense chill of the air set in. She was soaking wet in negative-degree weather, and it was still several hours before daybreak.

Kristoff couldn’t be that far away though. He’d only had a couple hours head start at most, and if she stopped to rest, the footprints could fill and she’d lose the trail. Despite her state, she knew she had to keep moving, there was no time to rest.

She just had to get to Kristoff; that was all that mattered.

☳☳☳

“Who’s Anna?” The woman asked.

Kristoff awoke from a restless sleep, though he didn’t feel any less tired. The room was still dark, and even colder than before. “What?”

“You said her name in your sleep,” she murmured, sounding curious. “You cried it, actually. I was going to wake you, but…”

“It’s fine,” he said quickly. It’d been another nightmare. He’d been having more of those lately, and this one had been worse than usual. It’d started off nicely enough; they’d been back in the cabin, though it was nicer than it truly was. It was warm, he wasn’t injured, and there was plenty of food and clothes. They had a soft bed and were kissing passionately. Her eyes had been bright and her hair was cascading around his face as she lay over him, body small, moving, and wanting. They were going to make love, he could see it in her eyes. He loved her and she loved him and there was nothing more to it. He was kissing her neck, hand slipping over her breast, body aching to be closer to hers. She’d whispered that she loved him, and he replied that he did too.

Then he brought his fingers to her shirt, peeled it away, only to find her soft, pearly skin covered with hundreds of infected bites, dripping and pooling blood down her body. She laughed, ran her fingers through it. He’d looked up at her with horror, but her eyes had turned red and fungus was sprouting from her skull and-

“I know it isn’t,” the woman said. “I heard your crying...So tell me, do you love her?”

Kristoff paused, mind still reeling from the horror of his nightmare. “What?”

“Do you love her?”

“Yes.”

She sighed. “I’m sorry you won’t get to see her again.”

He scowled. “Yes I will. I’m going to get out of here, all of us are, and then I’ll find her.”

She snorted, though there was no humor in her tone. “That’s what the last one said too. But they took him, just like all the others. I suppose it’s our turn next; we’ve been here longer than you.”

“Don’t say that!” He ordered. “How can you just give up?”

“I told you they took my husband,” she said, any sign of emotion still lacking from her tone. “I gave up trying to escape weeks ago...they’re animals, all of them. What’s the point?”

“The point is that you still have a chance!” Kristoff insisted. “Your husband wouldn’t want you to die the same way he did!”

She fell silent and simply shook her head. “You don’t understand…”

“Yes I do! The world has gone to shit and everyone has their scars, but you can’t let that stop you. You have to keep finding something to fight for! You still have your son, you can’t give that up.”

Her head lowered, and her eyes closed. A single tear fell down her cheek, and she spoke no more.

“I promise I’ll protect you and your son, I won’t let them hurt you!”

The mother just shook her head, looking like she’d expected his reply. But the boy simply looked at Kristoff with adoration that lit up his haggard features. “Will you really help us?” He whispered.

Kristoff’s gaze flitted over to him. The boy’s eyes were red from his crying earlier, though they stared Kristoff down with a fierce loyalty. Kristoff knew the pain of losing his parents to the infection, he couldn’t even imagine what it’d be like to have them be treated like animals, killed for game and slaughter…

“Yes,” he answered sternly. “I promise.”

The boy looked doubtful, but nodded and slumped back against the wall, falling deep into thought.

Kristoff promised to get them out, and he would. He just hoped they’d all be able to do so and end up alive.

Before anyone could reply, the door suddenly burst open and a large, beefy man walked in. His jaw was set, and he held a large chopping knife in one hand. “Alright boy!” He crowed. “It’s your turn now!”

The boy cried out in fear and started tugging on his restraints, but the man only stomped over, uncuffed him, and started dragging him to the door. _“MOM!”_

The mother’s eyes were wide, and her suppressed emotions suddenly came bursting forth. “ _NO!”_ She shrieked, sobs choking her. “ _My son! You can’t take him!”_

“STOP!” Kristoff thundered, wrists white from straining against the cuffs. “He’s just a fucking kid!”

“Shut up, both of you!” The man barked, ignoring the yelps of the child.

“NO! Take me instead!”

The man eyed him with a scowl. “And why the hell would I do that?”

“I’m bigger!” Kristoff protested. “You’d feed a lot more of you with me than with some small, starved kid!”

The man paused and scanned Kristoff over for a moment. Then a flash of recognition crossed his face, as if he knew Kristoff from somewhere. His eyes narrowed, and he dragged the boy back to his cuffs. “Alright, have it your way. You’re only putting it off for another day.” He stormed back over to Kristoff, roughly uncuffed him, pressed the knife to his neck, and guided him towards the door.

The boy was still shaking, and he looked at Kristoff with terror. “W-wait!”

“Enjoy your last hours alive!” The man smirked to the remaining two, and he shoved Kristoff out the metal door.

They were at the foot of a dark staircase that led upward. The man held Kristoff tightly as he began dragging him up. Each step sent a stab of pain into Kristoff’s side, which was still sore from the bullet wound. He tried to hold it in, but he couldn’t stop a few gasps of pain from escaping his lips.

“Stop your whimpering,” The man ordered. “Or I’ll drag your ass back in there and make that bitch watch her son die.”

Kristoff lifted his head to glare at him. “You’re a fucking monster,” he snarled. “All of you are.”

“Monsters?” He asked, feigning indignation. “We’re just trying to survive.”

“Then hunt animals like everyone else.”

“Well, we started off that way, but a couple winters back, thing took a turn for the worse. There was nothing to hunt, our crops had all died...we were all slowly starving to death. We didn’t have a choice; one of our men had already died, so we put his body to good use. The taste was nothing like anything we’d ever experienced before...it was addicting. We didn’t see a reason to stop when just one person could be so satisfying and sustaining.”

“You’re _sick!”_ Kristoff spat.

“Do you think we like doing this? Because we don’t.”

“You could have fooled me.”

“We used to have a supplier,” he continued. He seemed to be enjoying himself. “13 of them, actually. They would do all the dirty work for us, we’d get our meat, and we’d give them whatever shit they needed. But they were all killed off about 2 months ago. When we went to their camp, it was a bloodbath everywhere. Bodies left and right...But in the remains, we found a tape recording, left behind by one of the men before they were killed. He said they were under attack by a crazy woman, and that she was escaping with our merchandise, and a blond man with a bullet wound in his right abdomen…”

_No._

Kristoff’s heart stopped, though he tried not to show his fear. “That must be so depressing,” he said sarcastically, trying to angle his injured side away from the man.

The man scowled and pressed his gun near Kristoff’s wound. “You wouldn’t happen to know anyone who fits that description, would you?”

Kristoff was silent, but he knew already that he couldn’t lie to him. The blood had stained through his shirt, and as the man pressed the gun deeper into the wound, Kristoff couldn’t help but groan in torment.

They reached the top of the stairs and the man smirked. “That’s what I thought. It really is a small, fucked up world.”

☳☳☳

The snow was falling harder, faster now. The wind whipped Anna violently as she trudged through the snow, body still wet and starting to freeze. She’d completely lost the trail of footprints, and was just moving aimlessly through the vast wilderness. It was so dark, she could barely see her hand in front of her.

_Just get to Kristoff...find Kristoff…_

Her teeth were chattering, and her mind felt numb. Everything was so cold…

_Just keep going…_

How long had she been walking? Where was she? Nevermind, it didn’t matter. She had to keep going, had to get to Kristoff, had to...had to…

She didn’t see the edge until it was too late. Anna put one foot ahead of her and found herself falling off the small cliff, rolling down the snowy hill, into the brush below. She felt herself knock her head against a rock, but it didn’t bother her too much. The next thing she knew, she was lying on her side in the snow, covered by a canopy of tree branches. Blood droplets fell from her head and stained the snow red, but she felt no pain, just exhaustion.

_Keep going…_

Anna lay curled in a ball, unmoving. The shivering had stopped, and her body felt pleasantly warm. She hadn’t lit a fire.

_I have to get to Kristoff..._ The thought kept dragging itself through her head, but her body felt too weak to move. She would save him...in just a moment...she had to sleep first...then she would be fine... she was just a little sleepy…

In retrospect, she would come to realize that she had been dying that night. Her pulse was weakening and her breathing was shallow. She was just about to close her eyes, just about to drift off to a place of bliss and nevermore when her eye caught sight of a blue light, pulsating in the darkness. Anna lifted to head to look at it as it shone through the trees.

_It was so beautiful…_

The light cast shadows on her face and hung still in the air until it blossomed into the shape of a young woman, no older than 28, with a slender frame, a long blonde braid, and icy blue eyes that seemed to be glowing in the night. The woman was standing several feet away, just staring at Anna, a warm smile on her lips. When she spoke, her voice was soft and haunting. “Anna!”

Anna’s eyes widened. Her heart stopped. _Could it be?_

_Elsa._

 

 


	22. The Brink of Dawn

**E** lsa smiled even more when Anna called out to her. Then her image flickered and she reappeared several feet away. She seemed to be floating off, though Anna still couldn’t see straight. She was starting to become aware of how much her head was pounding and her legs hurt from walking all day. Nevertheless, the pain in her body wouldn’t permit Anna to let her sister get away.

Her heart skipped a beat. “E-Elsa! Wait!”

“Follow me!” Elsa called, then she turned her back to Anna and drifted off into the woods.

Anna pushed herself to her feet and started running after her sister, choosing to ignore the pain in her legs and the throbbing in her head. The blizzard was starting to slow now, and the howl of the wind had been replaced by nothing more than a mere whisper. The flakes drifted and swirled down like ones in a snowglobe, though Anna didn’t feel at peace. The nighttime was suffocating, and it felt like she could only breathe in the glow of her sister’s presence.

Anna squinted through the darkness as she ran after the blue light that was Elsa calling her onward, leading her through the winding forests paths and dense trees.

_Where were they going?_

After what seemed like an eternity, they pushed through the trees and came to the top of a large hill. Elsa waited for Anna at the top of it, still smiling serenely.

“Elsa!” Anna ran up the hill and leaped towards her sister, ready to embrace her, only to feel...nothing. Her arms went right through Elsa and she stumbled forward, trying to regain her balance. “Wait, wh-what?”

When she rose to her feet again, she saw that Elsa looked translucent. Her image flickered, her skin was pale, and there was still a glowing wound in her chest. “This isn’t real, Anna,” Elsa said softly, her gaze filled with sorrow. “I’m not really here; you’re hallucinating.”

Anna frowned and shook her head. “N-no! I’m not! Y-you’re back and now we can be together! You’re right here! I can _see_ you!”

“I died, Anna. You saw it happen.”

Anna sniffed. “N-no...I...I…I tried to do what you said. I tried to survive but now I’m just so tired and hurt and alone and I...I _miss_ you Elsa!”

“It’s okay, Anna, I miss you too.” Elsa stepped closer. “But I had to come see you before it was too late.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“You’ve been so strong, sister, but you’re going to die, and so will Kristoff if you don’t save him.”

Her eyes widened, and she hiccuped. “What? You know where he is?”

Elsa nodded, and pointed down the hill to where a luxurious ski resort sat nestled between the mountains. “He’s running out of time, and you’re the only one who can save him.”

Anna looked at the resort, her breath hitched. Kristoff was only a couple feet away, and Elsa was even closer. All she had to do was get to Kristoff, and everything would be as it should. “Come with me!” She suddenly burst, turning to her sister with bright eyes. “You can help me save him! Then we can be a family!”

Elsa shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. In a few moments you’ll have to wake up. You can’t dream forever.”

“What? No!” Anna cried out in protest. “You have to stay, I can’t do this alone, I _need_ you!”

“But don’t you see? You don’t! You’ve come so far and grown so much, and I know you can do this.”

“N-no! I want you to stay!”

“If I stay, you’ll die. You already have hypothermia, and if you stay out here it’ll only get worse. You’ve come so far, don’t give up now. Dawn is coming soon, it’ll be a new day, and I know you will live to see it, if you only keep your hope and strength.”

Her heart sank, and she smiled bitterly. “Please don’t leave,” Anna whispered.

Elsa simply smiled, and placed her hand over Anna’s heart. “I never did. I’ve always been with you, Anna, and I always will be.” Then she placed her lips to Anna’s cheek, and Anna could have sworn she felt her skin tingle.

Elsa pulled away and waved, saying, “Don’t worry sister, this isn’t really goodbye. We’ll meet again, and until then, stay strong, stay vigilant, and never give up hope.”

Then the light faded, the wind returned, and Anna was alone.

☳☳☳

The man holding Kristoff led him down a long hallway roughly. The cannibals base seemed to be an old ski lodge; most of the building was crafted of wood and there were many old animal pelts and heads mounted on the walls. As they passed by windows, Kristoff could see mountains and a ski lift in the distance, and even farther off, the town he knew was near their cabin.

_How the hell was he going to get out of this?_ Even if he did manage to escape, he didn’t have his backpack, or any of his weapons. On top of that, he had no clue where Anna was, if the cannibals hadn’t gotten to her already.

He glanced around his surroundings with each turn they made. There was a hunting knife mounted over the mantel over there; maybe that could work. A part of the wall had fallen away and left splintered boards in its place, that could be a weapon too. He could see some snowmobiles outside, if they were still operable he could escape on one of those.

The beefy man dragged Kristoff into what looked like the lodge’s kitchen. In the center was a large table that the man pulled him towards and lay him on. In the room were 2 other men who helped handcuff his arms and legs to the table, making sure they were secure.

“I thought I told you to get the boy,” one of the men muttered, eyeing Kristoff with an accusing glare.

The first man shrugged. “He volunteered. We might as well, since we’ll get more meat out of him. You know how badly the guys were bitching last night about not having enough food. I don’t see the problem.”

“The problem is we just got him today!” The man snapped. “How the fuck do we know he’s not infected!?”

“He was fighting too hard to live for someone that’s infected. Besides, look at his stomach! He looks like the guy that our suppliers were supposed to give us!”

The third man stepped forward and lifted the hem of Kristoff’s shirt, revealing the dark wound, still healing on his abdomen. “Son of a bitch...I think this is our guy.”

“Well then screw it. We’ll kill him first, look for bites later. We can’t let some bastard who killed our suppliers get off easy.”

Kristoff squirmed in place on the table, trying to break free. “Let me go! You pathetic, useless, shi-”

“Quiet!” One barked, and he slapped his hand over Kristoff’s mouth.

The beefier man went over to the knife holder and retrieved a large butcher cleaver, freshly sharpened and adorned with flecks of dry blood. “Let’s get this over with.” He walked over to the table and readied himself.

Kristoff tried to fight them off, but it was no use. He was completely bound, they were holding him down, and the blade was hanging in the air above his neck. This was it, this was going to be the end. He’d never get to see Anna again, and who knew what would become of that boy and his mother.

It was no use. He finally stopped squirming and just closed his eyes, praying it wouldn’t hurt.

The man raised the cleaver, ready to bring down the final blow, when-

“Put your hands in the air!” A voice snapped.

Kristoff looked up, and felt his heart stop when he saw Anna standing in the doorway, gun aimed at the man with the knife. Her eyes were narrow, her hands unshaking, and aim centered on a head-shot.

He couldn’t believe it! Anna was alive, and even better, she was here to save him! Even though she looked pretty beat up, with blood dried in her hair, scratches on her face, and dark circles lining her eyes, she was in that moment the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. _“Anna!”_

The men scowled. “What the fu-”

Three shots rang out, one for each leg of the men surrounding Kristoff. They cried out in pain and fell to the floor, clutching at their new wounds.

Anna stormed over to them and kicked their weapons out of their hands, then quickly went to Kristoff’s side and began untying him. “Are you okay?!” She whispered frantically, though her eyes were shining.

“I am now,” Kristoff answered, beaming at her dopily.

Anna smiled and pulled him to his feet. “How’s your wound?” She asked, handing him a gun she picked up from the floor.

“I’ll manage.”

She gave him a quick kiss, and nodded. “Good. We have a lot to discuss, but first let’s get the hell out of here.”

“Fine by me,” Kristoff replied, and Anna took his hand and began to run.

They rushed out the door before the three men could rise to attack them, and headed out into the hallway. They were nearing the front of the building when Kristoff suddenly stopped right in his tracks, brow furrowed.

Anna turned to him, looking desperate. “Kris, what are you doing?! We have to get out of here before those men call for help!”

He shook his head. “There’s other people downstairs! We have to go back, I promised them I’d save them!”

Anna bit her lip. She seemed torn over taking him and running to ensured safety, or doing the right thing, being a hero. After a moment’s thought, her face softened, and she sighed reluctantly. “Alright, then let’s be quick.”

Kristoff beamed at her, and pulled her in by her cheeks for a quick, but hard kiss. “I missed you.”

Anna smiled shyly. “You can make it up to me later, now c’mon, let’s go be heroes.”

The pair rushed back down the way Kristoff had come, back down the long, twisting hallways, past the door, down the spiraling staircase, and into the deathly cold basement.

He shoved the door out of the way, trying to push back the jolt of pain that shot through his body. His bullet wound was still healing, but he had to push that aside for now and focus on doing whatever it took to get all 4 of them out of here. Having Anna at his side had filled him with a new sense of vigor and reminded him what he was really fighting for.

The loud sound of the door flying open caused the mother and son to jump and yelp in fear. But their worry turned to confusion as they saw it was only Kristoff, and not one of the blood-thirsty cannibals.

The woman looked up at them in uncertainty as Kristoff ran over. “W-what’s going on? Who’s this?”

“This is Anna,” Kristoff smiled. “She’s here to help. I told you two I’d get you out of here, and now it’s time. So c’mon, we’re leaving, _now.”_


	23. The Bitter Morning

**T** he gunshots had already started as the four crept up the staircase, trying to stay undetected.

“Spread out!” A voice ordered. Dozens of heavy footsteps shook the floor above them, growing louder as the escapees reached the top of the staircase. Kristoff was in the lead and slowly opened the door to the long hallway. Anna peeked over his shoulder to see that it was empty, but for how long, she didn’t know.

“So what’s the plan?” She whispered to Kristoff.

Kristoff hesitated as he scanned the area. “We move fast and quietly. I saw some snowmobiles outside that we can use, but we’ll have to hurry.”

The mother nodded. She was grasping her son’s hand so tightly her knuckles were white. The boy however, looked nervous and pale. Anna gave them a gentle, encouraging smile. “We’re going to be okay,” she whispered.

The mother didn’t look so sure, but her son nodded hopefully.

“Alright,” Kristoff muttered. “I think the coast is clear.”

Anna nodded. “C’mon.”

They slipped into the long hallway, where the angry voices of the cannibals were louder and closer. Kristoff seemed to know where he was going, as he led them down the hall, telling them exactly when to duck into a room to hide from approaching voices. Nevertheless, Anna couldn’t stop worrying about his injury. There were times where he would have to stop, catch his breath, and clutch at his side, wheezing slightly.

“Are you okay?” Anna would always ask.

“I’m fine!” He would reply quickly. “Now we’re almost out, let’s keep moving.”

On top of this, Anna was still suffering from the aftereffects of her hypothermia as well as her head injury. Both of them needed medical attention, and if they didn’t get it fast, things would be grim.

The time dragged by impossibly slow, but they didn’t stop. Kristoff led while Anna watched the mother and son from behind, making sure they were still safe. “We’re almost there!” She whispered to them, but they didn’t look reassured.

When they finally came to the end of the hallway, the four found themselves at the top of a small balcony overlooking the main lobby. Staircases led from the left and right of the balcony down to the area below, which was lit by several dim candle lanterns. There were a few sunken couches that were covered in dust and had springs protruding from them, boarded-off windows lining the walls, a grand fireplace to the right, and most importantly, a small corridor that led to two big, glass doors.

_The exit._

“Come on,” Kristoff whispered, holding his gun a little tighter. He led the group down the right staircase, checking to make sure they weren’t being followed.

Anna’s palms were shaking as she took the rear. She could still hear the sounds of the cannibals searching the building, slamming doors, running down hallways. Their escape was only a few moments away, but they were running out of time. As they crossed the lobby, the four grew faster, louder. This was it! They were getting out of here! The door was only feet away!

“STOP!” Someone barked.

She’d spoken too soon.

Anna felt her heart freeze. She glanced over her shoulder to see a half dozen men rushing up from behind, guns aimed right for their heads. They were all large, menacing, and ready to fire. Footsteps filled the lodge as more of the cannibals rushed towards the sound. Time and options of escape were slipping through Anma’s fingers as the men covered the doors and windows, leaving the four trapped.

“Stay right there!” One shouted, “Or we’ll shoot!”

The four stood frozen in place, their hands in the air, but it didn’t matter. A moment later, more men ran in and started firing without warning or reason.

“Take cover!” Kristoff shouted, and the four all dove behind a nearby sofa.

“Just shoot ‘em!” A voice shouted. “We’ll find fucking more!” Then the spray of bullets grew louder and larger in intensity as the whole room became overcast with gunpowder smoke.

Anna braced herself for a fight as she and Kristoff started firing back. They managed to take a few men out, but there were still so many, and they were running out of ammo fast. The mother and son cowered in fear as the bullets flew everywhere, bouncing off the walls, shattering the old boarded windows.

“What are we going to do?” Anna called to Kristoff, but he only shook his head and kept firing.

There was suddenly a loud bang, and Anna turned to see one of the lanterns in the corner burst open with a single gunshot. The glass shattered and fell to the floor where the candle inside crashed onto the wood floor, and began to burn.

Anna’s eyes widened as she heard the cannibals’ bullets shatter a second lantern, and then a third. The fourth was only a few feet away from the escapees. It wasn’t on purpose, but it didn’t matter. The entire building was made of wood; old, dried, dilapidated wood, and the flames were everywhere; sparking, igniting. The smoke began to fill the air, and the realization made Anna’s blood turn cold.

_Everything was going to burn._

☳☳☳

Kristoff fired shot after shot, but it was no use. They were completely outnumbered; there was no way Kristoff could take them out with only his and Anna’s help. He only had a couple bullets left, and time, of which he had little, was of the essence.

He suddenly heard Anna gasp, and turned to see her eyes wide and face pale. “What? What’s wrong!?” He called out over the roar of the gunfire.

“Look!” She called out, and with a shaking hand she pointed to the left corner of the room, where a small fire was growing. It was eating up the old wood fast, and the sparks were bouncing and flying in the air.

“Shit!” Kristoff gasped. “We’ve got to get out of here!”

“We have to distract them!” Anna instructed. The bullets were just grazing the top of her head, but her eyes were unfazed and rapt with determination. “I have a plan!”

The flames were creeping closer.

“Well, you better come up with one fast!” He answered, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

Anna nodded and yanked an old board from the floor, ducking to make sure she didn’t get hit by the gunfire. She crawled behind Kristoff and held out the board, waiting for the popping flames to come up and lick the board. Once it was on fire, she crouched back behind the sofa and threw the board towards the cannibals, causing them to stop and swear loudly.

“NOW GO!” Anna ordered, and the four raced up from their spots and raced towards the front door.

The blaze was growing bigger now. The board Anna had thrown had even lit one of the men on fire, and while his screams pained Kristoff, he knew they had to keep moving. He ran to the front door, but to his horror, it was locked.

“What!? No! It was open when I came in!” Anna shrieked. “C-can you kick it down!?”

He tried, but the pain of his bullet wound kicked in, and Kristoff nearly keeled over in pain. “S-shit!”

Anna tried, but she was also too weak, and the door was too strong. “Hold on!” She called out, and she ran back into the lobby.

“ _W-wait!”_ Kristoff called out, but she was already gone.

“Wh-what are we going to do?!” The mother wailed. She had now let go of her son and had begun pounding on the door, but to no avail.

“I-I don’t know!” Kristoff coughed. The smoke of the fire was starting to fill his lungs and he could hear the flames popping, growing larger. “W-we’ll find a way!”

Anna came back, lugging another broken board, coughing as well. With the help of Kristoff, she smashed the glass of the door, creating a jagged hole for them to crawl through.

“A-alright, now go!” She cried. “They’re coming!”

Kristoff glanced over his shoulder and saw the cannibals rushing towards them, guns out. Bullets pierced the glass as they all scrambled through the door, out into the bitter cold. The fire was spreading onto the walls now, and most noticeably, a giant wooden awning over the entrance of the lodge, crafted of large pillars and planks of wood.

Kristoff didn’t stop to look behind him this time. He ran and ran until he couldn’t hear the roar of the flames over the howl of the wind any longer.

_They’d made it._

But it was too good to be true.

“NO!” The mother suddenly gasped, her face pale.

Kristoff turned to look behind him, and saw there were only two: the woman, and Anna. With horror he saw the the boy had been caught in the protruding glass of the door, and was now fighting off two of the cannibals who were trying to get him out of the way. There was a gun pressed to his head, and they held him roughly.

Anna shrieked. “Oh my god!”

Not another minute passed before the mother started running to the building. The boy was calling out for her as they dragged him inside, back into the smoke and haze, which only caused her to sob and run faster.

“NO!” Kristoff barked, running after her and holding her by the arm. “It’s not safe! The whole place is burning down!”

_“THAT’S MY SON!”_ She wailed, and with a violent tug, she pulled herself out of his grasp and ran back into the burning building.

_“NO!”_ Kristoff cried out, and he felt Anna’s frantic hands holding him back from following her.

“Kristoff, don’t!” Anna gasped, her eyes wide with fright.

The mother disappeared into the building, there was a loud crack, and one of the beams holding the awning of the entrance came crashing down with a burst of flames. It blocked off the door, trapping everyone inside. Within moments, the whole awning had collapsed into the fire.

Kristoff’s eyes widened in horror as the distant screams filled his ears, but there was nothing he could do. He heard gunshots, but Anna only choked a sob and pulled him away, away from the pain, the fire, the horror.

“I’m sorry!” Anna kept whimpering, but they both knew she had nothing to do with it. “It’s going to be okay!”

Kristoff just had to tell himself to keep moving, that maybe they’d escape some other way, that there was still a hope.

He heard the building cave in with a crash, and it was then that he couldn’t lie to himself anymore.

He’d never even learned their names.

☳☳☳

They’d stopped to catch their breath at the top of a large hill. No one had followed them out. The screaming had stopped, but the flames raged on. They could see the thick smoke like a pillar of demise, creeping into the sky and reminding them where they’d just come from.

He should have done something. This was his fault! He didn’t know how, but he could have prevented this! He could have run in after her, he could have-

“This isn’t your fault,” Anna whispered, her voice flat and hoarse.

“I don’t care,” he replied coldly. Shameful fury coursed through his veins, and it was all he could do to keep himself from screaming.

“I know it hurts,” she murmured. “This...this was too much like how Elsa left us. It wasn’t fair, or right. But...you can’t blame yourself. It only makes things worse.”

“Like things can get any worse!” Kristoff snarled, suddenly feeling resentful of her. He knew it was wrong, but right now everything hurt too badly and he couldn’t think straight. He stood up and began pacing, face buried in his hands. “He was just a kid! Neither of them deserved this!”

“I never said they did!” Anna insisted, standing up as well. “But you don’t deserve to take the blame for this! I’m still here, you’re still here! Even though everything is horrible now, at least we’re still alive!”

“What’s the point?” Kristoff muttered. “We’re all going to die eventually, so why bother?”

Anna frowned. “Don’t talk like that! I know you cared for those two, but you can’t just give up, not after all we’ve been through!”

Kristoff just looked at her, silent. Her face was bruised, bloody, and covered in ash from the fire. He couldn’t have looked much better. And despite the anger he currently felt, he couldn't spend another moment taking it out on her. His mind was reeling and he was just in so much pain and felt so guilt ridden he wanted nothing more than for time to stop and the world to finally end. The only thing that gave him a semblance of comfort was Anna standing there, her eyes soft, and her strength simply radiating from her.

“I’m...I’m sorry,” he whispered, and with those two words the last wall he’d been keeping up, the wall that shielded him from pain and made him strong, came crumbling down. Anna held out her arms and let him bury himself in them as he slowly cried into her shoulder. “I-I’m so sorry…”

Anna held him closer. “W-we’re going to be okay, Kristoff. We just...we have to keep our hope, and our strength, and keep finding something to fight for.”

He nodded softly, and even though the tears had stopped, it was a long time before he had the strength to let go.

 


	24. The Rain Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! We're now in Part 4, the final leg of the story! With only 5 chapter left after this, things are going to be coming to a close soon. Thank you to everyone's who's kept up with this story, it really means a lot!

**Part 4: Spring**

“ **T** here it is!” Anna gasped. She turned to Kristoff and cupped his cheeks, making him look up at the green sign above their heads.

_North,_ _Salt Lake City, Next Exit._

Kristoff smiled and gently pulled his head out of her grasp. “Thank God. It took long enough.”

After the incident at the lodge, the two had returned to their winter cabin to retrieve their things, knowing the place could no longer be regarded as a safe haven. Kristoff took his backpack, and lent Anna one of his guns. The whole day he had been silent, still suffering from all his layers of pain. Anna hadn’t known what to do, so she’d only helped him when he asked for it, changed his bandages, and hugged him tightly when she could see he was fighting off tears again.

It had been almost 4 months since then, and a lot had changed. Thankfully, Kristoff had made a successful recovery, and was now slowly returning to his old self. Nevertheless, the scars were still there, both physically and emotionally. But even if he wasn’t quite as jocular as he’d been before, Anna knew that at heart he was still the same, loving Kristoff.

“This is it, we’re almost there!” Anna squealed. She bounced on the balls of her feet excitedly. “We’re going to get the cure and everything’s going to be okay!”

“Slow down there, feisty,” Kristoff smirked, taking her hand again. He continued leading her down the freeway, trying to keep her on task. “Let’s get the cure first, then celebrate.”

Anna nodded and squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry, I’m just so excited! I mean, we’ve been traveling forever but now it’s finally here! Only a couple miles away!”

“Then let’s keep moving,” he said, “Maybe we can get there by tomorrow, if not tonight.”

“Okay!” Anna chirped. “The sooner, the better, I always say.”

Walking down the expressway, where they currently were, had been haunting at first. A road that was once full of speeding cars and trucks was now completely still. Grass and even small trees had pushed their way through the crevasses in the concrete, wrapping around rusted cars and old RV’s. Anna had found it fun to try and walk right over the cars, starting by climbing up onto the trunk, over the roof, and jumping off the hood, but Kristoff had reprimanded her several times, reminding her how dangerous it was.

So, Anna settled for jumping over large cracks in the pavement, trying to sneak up on birds perched on rearview mirrors, and asking Kristoff what shape he thought the grey clouds above looked like. It was all she could do to distract her and keep her spirits up.

They followed the roadway signs until they reached it at last; the exit to Salt Lake City. Anna practically dragged Kristoff up the ramp and onto the city streets, chattering with excitement the whole way. She hadn’t been so happy in such a long time, and she could tell Kristoff appreciated it, as much as it probably annoyed him as well.

“You’ve got to stay quiet,” he smiled, blushing when she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her feet over his. “What the hell are you doing now?”

“Aren’t you happy?” She giggled. Kristoff kept walking, though it was slow due to her standing on his feet. “We’re going to find the cure!”

“Not if you keep slowing me down, sweetheart,” he sighed, and with a grunt he lifted her off his feet, and placed her over his shoulders. “You can sit up here. Keep your gun out.”

“Yes, sir!” Anna giggled, resting her hands on the top of his head.

Kristoff walked deeper into the city, which was eerily quiet. There were the usual broken cars, store windows, and plants growing everywhere, but not a single sound of human life. The wind was soft and pleasantly warm, and above dark clouds were rolling in, threatening rain.

“So where is this lab?” Anna asked, turning to look down at Kristoff’s head.

“I’m not sure,” Kristoff admitted. “I know it’s in a hospital run by the military, my guess is it’s probably the one closest to the heart of the city.”

“Then let’s start there,” Anna replied firmly.

Kristoff only nodded and continued walking. His eyes nervously scanned each street and alley they walked past, and his fingers fiddled with the gun in his hand. He was clearly on edge. “You don’t hear any infected, do you?”

“No! Why? Did you see some?”

He shook his head. “I just want to be careful, especially since the military is supposed to be here. I’m sure they wouldn’t be too happy about a pair of survivors showing up to steal their shit.”

Anna bit her lip and nodded. “It’s ironic that the people who are supposed to protect us are our enemies.” She thought back to Elsa for a moment and had to swallow her anger. “...It’s stupid, actually.”

Kristoff was silent, and looked down. “Yeah…”

Anna was mute for a bit before she finally shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Today was a new day, they were going to get the cure, and Elsa’s death wouldn’t be in vain. “Let’s talk about something else,” she said quickly.

“Like what?”

“Like the weather; I think it’s going to rain, what about you? Or that broken car over there! How do you think it got there? It looks like someone drove it into the side of a building, which is kind of depressing. And-”

She suddenly stopped and gasped. “ _No way!”_ Something up the street had caught her eye, and it was too incredible to be true. Anna immediately scrambled off of Kristoff’s shoulders and started running, not thinking about anything else but getting closer to what she had saw.

“HEY!” Kristoff exclaimed. “Where are you going!?”

“Follow me!” Anna called out, and she didn’t stop running until she had reached the railing lining the area that’d drawn her in. It was only then and there that she finally paused to caught her breath and take in the wonder before her.

“ _Anna!”_ Kristoff cried out, running up from behind. “What the he-”

“Shh!” Anna whispered, pressing her finger to his lips. “Look!”

Kristoff frowned, but turned to see what had gotten her attention. His eyes widened. “ _Holy shit,”_ he murmured.

Standing before the two was an overgrown baseball diamond. The plant life was in abundance, and there were small marshes scattered about. But what had caught Anna’s attention was much more mind-boggling; a herd of giraffes, grazing in this makeshift preserve. They stretched out their long necks to eat off the trees and used their long legs to stride across the field. Their hides were a beautiful golden brown and yellow, and their long tails swished as they walked. On the other edge of the area, there was a small group of calves being cared for by their mother, who guided them towards the shelter of the trees as the wind started to pick up.

Anna’s eyes were sparkling. “Can you believe it?” She whispered to Kristoff, who looked just as amazed as she did.

“It’s amazing,” he smiled, laughing breathlessly.

“How did they get here?”

“The zoo, I guess. Obviously, there’s no one left to take care of them. They must have just escaped and bred own their own.”

“I guess life really does go on.” Anna shook her head in awe. “It’s crazy. Crazy and beautiful.”

Kristoff turned to smile at her. “Like someone I know.”

“Hey!” Anna snapped. She punched his arm playfully, not appreciating the laughter that followed. “That’s not funny!”

“Sorry,” he said, though he was still grinning impishly.

“Sure you are,” Anna muttered with a light-hearted roll of her eyes. “You’re just lucky I love you so much.”

He froze. “ _...What?”_

Anna’s eyes widened. “I...uh…” She turned to look at him, cheeks bright pink. A part of her felt ashamed for her outburst, but for the most part, she didn’t care. She’d felt this way for months now, and there was nothing wrong about that. “I...I do. I love you, Kristoff.”

He stared at her for a long moment, looking like a deer caught in a pair of headlights. Then he beamed at her, pulled her in, and smashed his lips against hers.

Anna squeaked, but smiled against his mouth and pressed herself into his arms. He held her there in a strong grip, and the intensity of their kiss was almost too much for her to bear.

He then pulled away breathlessly, a huge grin on his face. “I...I love you too...so fucking much.”

Anna giggled and cupped his cheek. “Good.” She leaned back in, and they kissed again, though this time it was far more tender and intimate. Her fingers curled in the hairs of his nape and his hand rubbed up and down her back. Her nose filled with the scent of pine needles and campfire smoke, and her free hand moved from his cheek to palm his clothed chest.

The funny thing was, Anna had already known Kristoff loved her. Even though it seemed too good to be true, she’d known ever since the night he’d taken the bullet for her, for it was the night she finally fell for him too. It was in his sacrifice that they both realized how much they needed each other, and that they couldn’t bear to be apart. Now that they’d confessed, it was simply a matter of showing it to one another.

The passion blossomed around them as their kiss deepened. Their heads dipped, and they held each other tighter, more securely. Anna moaned softly and let her lips part ever so slightly, inviting him in. Kristoff was more than ready to take the opportunity to boldly slip his tongue in and flutter it against hers. The feeling sent an electric charge down her spine, and Anna instinctively leaned closer, wanting more.

There was a sudden crack, and at last the rain began to fall. Anna broke the kiss and looked up to see the sky was now completely overcast, with occasional bright flashes of lightning that illuminated the sky.

Anna gasped and laughed, pulling away from Kristoff to twirl in the rain. “This feels wonderful!” She sighed, tilting her head back and letting the heavens simply pour over her. The rain was falling harder now, coming down in almost buckets, and the wind made it all so much more intense and fast.

Kristoff smiled at her and shook his head. His bangs were now plastered to his forehead and he slicked them back, stepping closer to her. “You really are crazy, you know that?”

Anna just shook her head, and continued twirling, splashing, jumping, and finally enjoying the feeling of being _alive._ She spun into Kristoff’s arms, giggling when he caught her. “Dance with me!” She pleaded, and with a reluctant groan, Kristoff did just that. He took her hands and spun her, rocked her, dipped her, and kissed her. It was clear that this was unusual for him, as his movements were clumsy, unpracticed, and slightly awkward, but Anna didn’t care. She was too lost in the feel of the rain on her skin, the sound of the thunder rolling in from the distance, and Kristoff whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

Finally, they came to a stop in each other’s arms, and they stopped to look each other right in the eye. Anna was smiling, and Kristoff returned her look with a prominent shyness. But underneath their frivolous dancing and smiles was something else; Anna could feel it. Her eyes flitted to his lips as she leaned closer to him, the rain drawing them together. The storm was getting louder, but her heartbeat was even more so as she saw his face change, eyes darken slightly.

“You’re soaked,” Anna murmured, placing her hand over his firm chest.

“So are you,” Kristoff laughed, sounding slightly nervous. He kept his gaze locked with hers, and wrapped an arm around her waist. “C’mon, let’s get you somewhere dry.”

Anna felt her body tingle where he touched her, and she looked into his eyes with a hidden longing, asking for _more._ “Okay,” she murmured, and when Kristoff looked her over, held her closer, and began leading her towards the buildings, she could already feel her heart racing for what was to come.


	25. The Fleeting Bliss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At last, this is it. The smut chapter. If you’re not comfortable with reading sexy things and such, then at least read the first part, because there’s some set-up you’ll need to know for the next chapter, and then just stop whenever you’re comfortable.

**K** ristoff rushed her into an old, grand hotel. The rain was falling in sheets now and the thunder shook the ground they walked under. The lobby was a mess; there were old chairs, tables, and debris scattered everywhere. The windows were boarded up and made the light inside dim. The elevator had several love seats and sofas shoved up against it, but despite that, Anna wouldn’t have trusted it anyway. In the center of the room was a grand staircase, leading up to the first floor of lodging.

“We’ll take shelter here until the storm stops,” Kristoff instructed, pushing one of the love seats in front of the door. “We could get sick if we stay out in that rain.”

Anna wrung her braids out as Kristoff started checking the area, making sure it was secure. “At least this is a pretty nice place,” she commented as she too pulled out her gun and began inspecting. Thankfully, they seemed to be alone.

“Yeah,” Kristoff agreed, walking towards the front desk. He put his gun away and began looking for supplies, room keys, anything of use. “I don’t think my family would have ever been able to afford something like this, back in the day.”

Anna hesitated and bit down on her lower lip. “So...did you have a pretty big family?”

“Sort of,” he replied. He had now found a large safe, and was currently working on trying to pry it open. “I was adopted, but I had a lot of cousins.”

Anna felt the familiar surge of glee she got whenever Kristoff finally opened himself up to her. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he grunted, and with a forceful crack, the safe burst open.

“Is there anything in there?” Anna called out, training her gun on the dark corners of the lobby.

Kristoff hesitated as he dug through the contents. “...Just a couple things.” He closed it once again, and walked towards her, gun in hand. “Nothing extremely valuable. I can show you in a second, but lets go find a room first.”

Anna eyed him. “Well, someone’s being pretty aloof.”

He took her free hand, and started leading her up the staircase. “Or maybe, I just want to get out of this creepy lobby.”

Anna snorted, but let Kristoff guide her all the way up to the top floor of the building. The entire hotel was unsettlingly quiet, and Anna couldn’t deny that she felt slightly uneasy here. She kept waiting to hear a gunshot or a clicker wail, but the halls were empty, the the building was still.

Kristoff took one of the keys he’d found in the lobby and used it to unlock one of the rooms. The room was small, but Anna could easily tell it was elegant back in the day. It had one queen-sized bed that looked like it had springs missing in some places, and had blankets that were tattered and had large holes throughout. But compared to the forest floor that Anna and Kristoff had been sleeping on for the past few weeks, this was a luxury.

“This will be a good place to rest,” Anna smiled, walking over to the big window. From there she had an amazing view of the city; silver skyscrapers, vast mountains, and the giraffes, huddled under the trees to avoid the pouring rain. “I can’t wait ‘till we have that cure. Then we can go find a place of our own. Maybe a little cabin in the forest, or the mountains, or the seaside!”

“That would be nice,” Kristoff agreed, smiling softly at her. He set his backpack down and pushed the room’s dresser in front of the door, just to be safe. Afterwards, he walked over to the window and stood beside her, gaze deep and brooding as he watched the rain fall. “I have something for you.”

Anna turned to him. “What?”

“But first you have to close your eyes,” He continued.

“What? Why? Can’t I just see it?”

“No, just close your eyes,” Kristoff smiled.

Anna finally huffed and followed his instruction, her lip curved in a full pout. “Fine!” She could feel the air move as he waved his hand in front of her, checking to make sure her eyes were closed. Then, he placed something small, fairly thin, and light into her outstretched hands.

“Alright,” he smiled. “Open.”

Anna’s eyes fluttered open as she looked at what was down in her hands. When she saw it, she couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. “Are you kidding me?”

A chocolate bar. The wrapper had faded, but stayed in tact. The bar felt firm to her touch, and she couldn’t help but laugh aloud as she turned it over in her hands. Anna unwrapped it eagerly to examine the dark chocolate, which while it looked quite stale, didn’t look rotten and smelt decent enough. “Where did you get this?” She asked, turning to beam up at Kristoff.

“I found it in that safe in the lobby. It looked like someone was storing some kind of emergency kit in there. I also found another flashlight, some batteries, and a couple gauzes. It’s probably super old, the chocolate, I mean, but I just...I dunno. I thought you’d like it.” He looked shy as he spoke and ran a hand over the back of his neck. “D-do you?”

“Oh, Kristoff!” Anna crooned, leaning closer to cup his cheek. “I love it. And even if it tastes horrible, you’re wonderful! I love you and you’re so sweet to me and I’ll remember this forever.”

He blushed, though still smiled proudly. “Well, go on. Try it.”

Anna giggled excitedly, and took a large bite out of the chocolate bar. As expected, it tasted stale, and was more bitter than dark chocolate should, but it was still enough to satisfy her and make her smile.

“It’s amazing,” she beamed, taking a couple more bites. “Well, a little bitter, but still perfect! I can’t believe you actually found some for me!”

Kristoff smiled. “Anything for you.”

Anna wiped her mouth clean and wrapped the rest of the chocolate up for later. “Thank you,” she said, smiling sweetly as she took her new backpack off her shoulders and placed the chocolate bar inside. “You really are the perfect boyfriend.”

Kristoff seemed flustered by her statement, as he started stammering and blushing a deep maroon. “I-I’m not…I just...I-I…”

Anna giggled and silenced him with a kiss, loving the muffled sound of surprise that he yelped against her lips. Thankfully, it didn’t take him long to melt into her kiss, and he held her close and carefully.

Thunder pulsated through the room as Anna cupped his cheek and ran her fingers over his stubble-clad jaw. Kristoff pressed his lips to hers a little firmer, and Anna in turn kissed him more fervently. She didn’t know what was coming over her, but she knew that she was completely in love with Kristoff, and knowing that he’d cared about keeping a silly promise about chocolate made her only love him even more. He was just perfect, her protector, her best friend, and her _everything._

Their kiss grew in intensity as the storm did, and before long Anna found herself molding her body against his, their clothing still wet from the rain. Kristoff pulled his red hoodie off, and Anna her blue overshirt, leaving her in a black tank that clung to her skin. There was a flash of lightning as Anna jumped into Kristoff’s arms, letting him hold her closely and carry her to the bed.

They kicked their shoes off, and Kristoff pressed her back against the mattress, warming her chilled, damp body with his own. He never broke their kiss as his hands began to wander and explore, ghosting over her hipbone, thighs, and backside.

Her heart was racing with every moment that went by, and every time his fingers touched her exposed skin, she felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her body.

They’d kissed like this before, briefly, before they went to bed and when it’d gotten cold in the woods at night. But this was something different. This time, Anna had an overwhelming feeling for _more,_ one that wouldn’t let her go. It consumed her and lit a fire in her belly that made her yearn to be more than close with him, but a part of him.

They broke their kiss for only a moment, pausing to gasp for air and clutch at each other tighter.

“ _I-I love you,”_ Kristoff said, and his voice was nothing more than a low growl in her ear that made her whimper.

It was time. Anna knew what she wanted, where she wanted him, and how badly she needed it. She turned to him, eyes dark. “S-show me.”

Kristoff’s eyes darkened, and he nodded, accepting her plea. He dipped his head and met her lips once more, though this time it was less demanding and wanton, but an eager, insistent taste of what was to come.

Their cheeks were both flushed with the tender awkwardness of innocence, but the thought that they would both be sharing this for the first time made the moment much more intimate and meaningful. Anna loved Kristoff with everything in her, and she never wanted to be with anyone but him. No one would ever know her the way he did, no one would ever be given privilege to touch, to feel her like this.

His hand moved to fondle her between her legs, and Anna whimpered loudly. Kristoff shook his head, and placed his other hand over her mouth. “You have to stay quiet, sweetheart. We don’t want to draw any attention to this place.”

Anna whimpered and nodded, biting hard on her lower lip. She continued to let Kristoff feel her up, fighting to hold back every gasp and squeak of surprise she emitted as he got bolder, friskier. His hand slipped under her shorts, thumb just stroking her thin cotton undergarments. Anna felt her whole body shook, and just when she thought she couldn’t hold back her moans anymore, Kristoff stopped.

The rain pounded against the roof as he suddenly pulled away to peel his shirt off, tossing it onto the floor behind him. His chest was heaving with excitement, and he smiled down at her, waiting for her reaction.

Anna couldn’t help but gape at him. His chest was broad, and his muscles toned and firm. His skin was adorned with numerous scars, some small and faint, others darker and slightly raised. The worst of all was the light circle in his abdomen. It was raised off his skin and every moment Anna looked at it, she was further reminded of all the pain they’d been through, all the prices they’d paid.

Feeling a sudden surge of boldness, Anna leaned forward and began leaving hot, open-mouthed kisses against his skin, making sure to place her lips over every little scar.

Now it was Kristoff’s turn to melt to her touch. “S-shit, Anna!” He gasped. His hand grasped onto her damp hair for support as her little tongue darted out to taste his golden skin.

Anna only giggled and continued kissing him. She started working her way down, and then up, from the light hairs near the waistband of his jeans, to his strong abdomen, to his shoulders, neck. jaw, and finally his mouth. “You’re perfect,” she whispered against his lips, and he couldn’t do more than whimper in satisfaction.

After several more minutes of Anna’s teasing and playful kisses, Kristoff pulled away and pushed her back against the bed. “My turn,” he growled. His hands moved to the hem of her tank and he looked up into her eyes for approval. Anna nodded excitedly. With one swift movement, he then lifted her tank above her head and tossed it onto the floor. Anna helped by undoing her worn, tattered bra and throwing it away as well. The cold air hit her from all sides, and she instantly leaned closer to him.

As she now lay bare beneath him, Kristoff had nothing more than to just gaze at her. His eyes were wide, his breathing had slowed, and the only sounds to be heard was the hum of the rain.

Seeing him just stare down at her like that made Anna worry. What if she wasn’t good enough for him? She knew she was nothing special; she didn’t have any sultry curves or alluring features. Her skin was scarred, like his, and covered with hundreds of freckles that made her feel juvenile. Her breasts were of average size and could probably be fully cupped by just one of his large hands.

“I-I know I’m n-not anything special,” She stammered as he looked into her eyes. “B-but…”

Kristoff pressed his mouth over hers, silencing her. Once she had fully melted into their kiss, he pulled away only slightly, just enough to press his lips over her ear. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered, causing her to whimper his name.

Kristoff then dipped his head and latched his mouth onto one of her nipples, sucking and nibbling eagerly.

It was driving Anna mad having to say quiet. She clamped her hand over her own mouth, muffling the loud cry of pleasure that fell from her lips. This was a newer side of Kristoff that Anna hadn’t seen before; this Kristoff was bolder, _hungrier_ , and it both startled and enthralled her.

Kristoff rolled her nipple between his teeth, pulling it to a point before moving on to the next. By the time he was done, it was all Anna could do to keep herself from screaming his name.

Despite their current state of bliss, Anna knew they didn’t have time to waste. Kristoff was shaking as he pulled away, undoing his belt and pulling down his jeans. Anna bit her lip in anticipation as he blushed and removed his boxers, revealing his thick, throbbing length.

It was so large, it caught Anna by surprise at first. She’d never really seen _it_ before; as she obviously hadn’t gotten any sort of sex education after the infection had broken out. All her knowledge had come from romance novels she used to trade candy for with the older girls in the zone. Back then, it all seemed like something out of a fantasy, but now, she realized she didn’t have to give up everything.

Kristoff’s cheeks were pink as he scanned her face, waiting for her to react. “I...I…” But he didn’t know what to say.

Anna smiled gently at him, though her fluster shown through in how red her own cheeks were. She wanted to make him feel good, but she didn’t quite know how.

Anna glanced up at him before taking her hand and wrapping it around him cautiously. Her hand was so small and he was so large her middle finger just barely touched her thumb. She bit her lip as she gave him an experimental tug, though by his the look on his face it hurt more than it’d pleasured him. She tried again, desperately wanting to show him just how much she loved him. This time, she began pumping his length in her hands, keeping her fist tight and narrow.

This seemed to please him much better, as he tilted his head back and fought off a loud moan of pleasure. “F-fuck, Anna…”

Anna beamed at him as she started pumping him faster, darting her small thumb out to brush his tip. “You’ve got to stay quiet,” she reminded him in a husky voice, loving the effect she was having on him. “Remember?”

Kristoff bit down on his lip so hard it almost turned white. Anna only continued adapting, experimenting, pumping him, darting her head down to leave light kisses. It wasn’t as challenging as she thought it’d be, and she loved being dominant over him.

Just when a milky white substance was starting to drip from his tip, he pulled away quickly. “S-stop!” He gasped, placing his hand over hers. “I...I don’t want it to end like this.”

Anna frowned in confusion. “Wh-what do you-” Then her eyes widened as she realized. “O-oh.”

He nodded breathlessly, composing himself before pulling her flush body against his. He kissed her passionately as his hand moved lower to cup her ass, to which Anna both blushed but leaned closer. She couldn’t help but secretly feel proud that she’d gotten him to come so close, especially since she’d never done anything like this before.

Kristoff took great care as he pulled away and moved to lay her on the bed. His breathing was heavy, and both he and Anna were gasping for air from the intensity of their kiss. Quick hands removed her shorts and undies, exposing soft, red curls slick from her excitement. He hovered over her and straddled her hips, still keeping a hand behind her back.

His breathing was still ragged as he readied himself at her entrance. “A-are you ready for this?”

Anna pushed herself closer, held her breath, and spread her legs further apart. “Yes.”

Kristoff nodded, and with a deep breath gently pushed his member into her tight folds.

The feeling was instantly unlike Anna had ever experienced before. She felt herself being stretched in a way unfamiliar to her. Anna held back a whimper as he slowly pushed in deeper, completely filling her. It stung, but as Anna had experienced far worse pain before, she was able to mentally talk herself through it.

Once Kristoff was fully inside her, he paused, giving her time to get used to this new sensation. “You okay, sweetheart?” He whispered, stroking her hair back lovingly.

Anna bit her lip and nodded quickly. “Y-yes! Just...give me a minute.”

Kristoff nodded back and placed soothing kisses on her neck. “Of course.”

Anna took several deep breaths before the pain finally started to ebb away, and she was ready for him to move again. “O-okay, I-I’m ready.”

Kristoff kissed her again before he started slowly pulling in and out of her warmth, his breathing heavy and harsh.

Anna still winced as he moved, but within a few moments the stinging pain faded into a wonderfully blissful pleasure. “K-kristoff!” she gasped, but he only smiled at her and continued his thrusting.

Anna couldn’t believe how _good_ it all felt. After so many years of pain and hardship, to just let herself go and become lost in the feel of his hands on her body, his hardened length shaking her, filling her, was more than she could have ever hoped for. She started to allow instinct to take over, and moved her hips along with his. “F-faster!”

He started to pick up the pace at Anna’s whimpered behest. She could see the sweat starting to bead on his forehead, feel each clench of his worn muscles as his body moved and contracted. She dug her nails into his back, causing him to hiss and only move that much faster. Each powerful thrust Kristoff gave shook the old, creaky bed and drove Anna further into its sheets.

She could feel something inside her, building, growing. It made her move her hips faster, curse louder, and hold him nearer. Kristoff kept pushing her closer, to what, she wasn’t quite sure. His lips pressed against her ear, and he growled a string of dirty taunts and explicit explanations of just how he wanted her to come.

The feeling in the pit of her stomach kept growing until it was so powerful and intense it was too much to bear. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling stars burst behind them as she finally reached the edge. Anna buried her face into Kristoff’s neck and muffled her loud cry of ecstasy as she felt shockwaves of pleasure shake her to the core.

She heard him cry out, and then there was the strange feeling of him spilling himself into her. It was warm and intense and Anna couldn’t help but gasp aloud at the feeling.

It took several moments for them to wind down. They stared at each other for a moment, gasping and panting heavily. Then Anna smiled, Kristoff laughed, and they felt high from the giddy glee of intimacy.

The two lay back in bed, winding down from their orgasms. Kristoff’s arms wrapped around her waist and Anna’s breasts pressed against his chest. She smiled happily, nuzzled her head under his chin, and closed her eyes.

“I-I love you…” He whispered again, and as the pair snuggled each other closer, Anna had never known his words to be more true.

 


	26. The Single Word

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this chapter is so, so, so late! These past 3 weeks have been super busy getting ready for graduation, but now school’s out, and my summer has officially started! These last couple chapters should hopefully come out right on schedule! Thanks again to everyone for keeping up with this story!

**T** he pair was silent for awhile, enjoying the feeling of lying in each other’s arms and listening to the rain. Kristoff rubbed his hand up and down her back, and Anna buried her face in his chest, breathing in slowly and deeply. Her heart was racing, and she had never felt so happy and in love and _good_ before.

Kristoff turned his head to look down at her, smiling softly. His eyes were warm, and his face glowed with content.

Anna looked back at him. “Hey, Kristoff…” she murmured.

“Yes?”

She smiled wryly. “Can we do that again?”

Kristoff blushed, then laughed deeply. “Sure,” she chuckled, burying his nose in her hair. “In a minute.”

Anna nodded, and let him cuddle her. She felt so comfortable here in his arms; it was like nothing could hurt her, and she didn’t have to worry about anything at all. They were in Salt Lake, they were in love, and they were so close to getting the cure that would fix everything.

But all it took was a single moment for Anna’s bubble of peace and safety to come crashing down. She was leaning in for another kiss when they heard it; the rushing of footsteps coming up the stairs and running down the hall. They were sporadic and hastened, and followed by angry moans and wails.

_Infected._

“ _Shit!”_ Kristoff gasped, pulling away from her. “We’ve got to get out of here!”

Anna immediately scrambled out of bed, yanking her clothes up from the floor and throwing them onto herself. “How did we not hear them earlier?” She hissed. “It was quiet!”

His face was red as he fastened his belt hastily. “We probably drew them over. Just get your gun.”

Anna blushed as well, but nodded. She could hear the doors of neighboring rooms rattling as infected pounded on the doors, searching for the source of the noises. She slipped her tank on over her head, placed her backpack on her shoulders, and got her gun ready. “Let’s go!” She whispered.

Kristoff pushed the dresser aside, and opened the door slowly.They waited until the group of clickers was to the right and further down the hall before sneaking out in the other direction, towards the left and back to the stairs. Night had fallen, and the windows at each end of the hallway barely lit the atmosphere. Anna led the way while Kristoff watched their backs, gun trained on the horde and ready to fire. But before Anna could even make it down a single flight, she heard something horrible; the sound of more clickers coming up the stairs, croaking suspiciously.

Anna’s heart dropped. _They were trapped!_ Clickers at the end of the hallway behind them, clickers coming up the stairs towards them. They would need another way out. Anna held her breath and motioned for Kristoff to move backwards.

He frowned, but listened to her instruction, his eyes widening when his ear caught wind of the loud clicking. They backed up the stairs, into the hallway, where the other group of infected was still snarling at hotel room doors.

They were on the top floor, so jumping out any windows wasn’t an option. If they could get to the roof, they could try to use the fire escape ladder, but Anna had no clue how to get up there. Time was running out.

“What are we going to do?” She hissed to Kristoff.

He glanced down the hallway and then back. Then he motioned for her to follow him, back towards the middle of the hallway.

Anna followed him, but each step she took filled her with further dread. They were going to be sandwiched in, and there was no way they could survive a surrounding horde of clickers. If they weren’t bitten then they’d surely be ripped to shreds and bleed to death…

But Kristoff had a plan. He led Anna over to the old elevator, centered in the middle of the hallway. He pressed the ‘down’ button, but there was no response. He then began trying to pry the two metal doors open with his knife and bare hands.

Anna’s eyes widened. Kristoff was trying his best to be quiet, but with every tug and pull at the doors, she could hear the low creak of metal. How long would it be before the clickers caught wind of it?

The group of infected was almost up the stairs. The other group seemed to be disinterested in the right end of the hallway, and were starting to walk back towards them. Anna’s blood turned cold, and she turned to Kristoff with wide eyes. _Hurry!_

Kristoff nodded and moved faster, using all his strength to finally push apart the two metal doors. They split apart with a loud slam that rattled Anna’s ear drums, revealing the dark compartment inside.

She knew what was coming next.

The infected screamed, and immediately began rushing them, coming from both sides. Anna and Kristoff ran into the elevator, guns out. As they stepped on, Anna could feel the entire compartment shake, and she had to stop herself from second-guessing this decision. Kristoff began pressing at buttons, trying to get the elevator to work. Thankfully, the doors did start to close, but it was shaky and slow, and within moments the clickers were in front of them, clawing and thirsting for blood. Anna gasped, but fired her gun right for their heads, managing to take a few out alongside Kristoff.

One in the front of the pack lunged forward just as the doors were about to close, getting its head stuck in between them. Kristoff swore, fired off several shots into its fungi-covered skull, and kicked the body out of the doors. With another loud slam, the doors shut, and the infected pounded on them and wailed in torment.

They both were breathing hard, and Anna had to force herself to look away from all the blood splatter on the floor and doors. She turned to Kristoff, chest heaving. “N-now what?”

Kristoff opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by a loud groan of the elevator. The compartment rocked, and Anna stepped closer to Kristoff, holding his hand tightly.

“This thing isn’t safe,” he said quickly. He pulled away from her hand, jumped in place, and pushed the service hatch door open. “I’ll give you a boost, and then you can pull me up.”

Anna looked at him. “Are you sure?”

“We can’t stay in here! There might be another way out out there.”

Anna still felt reluctant, but had to agree. She let Kristoff lift her up and crawled out of the service hatch. The elevator shaft was dark and its air felt damp, but Anna couldn’t focus on that now. She could still hear the angry screams of the infected below, echoing throughout the entire shaft, and Kristoff was down there, alone.

“C’mon, Anna!” He pleaded, his voice rising in fear.

The infected were starting to pry the doors apart, and Anna immediately leaned down and held out her hand to Kristoff. He jumped up to grab it, and Anna held back a whimper at how heavy he as. She began trying to pull him up, but she wasn’t fast enough. There was another loud slam, and the clickers rushed into the compartment, shrieking and lunging for Kristoff.

Kristoff yelped, and tried kicking them away. Anna used her last ounces of strength to pull him up with all her might, and within moments Kristoff had a grip on the edge of the hatch and was able to pull himself up to safety. He rose to his feet and fired several shots into the compartment below, killing a few of the infected. Bullets ricocheted off the elevator shaft walls as Anna started helping him. The moans of the infected echoed everywhere, and it wasn’t until Kristoff had emptied his casing that there was a pile of bodies filling the elevator compartment. More clickers were still trying to push past the pile, making the elevator creak even more. Anna could hear the compartment groaning under the weight, and she turned to Kristoff, eyes wide.

The metal underneath them swayed, creaked.

There was a loud snap, and then they were falling. The rotted cables had broken, and the elevator started free-falling down the shaft. The infected wailed, Anna screamed, and Kristoff pulled her tightly against him. Within seconds the old elevator crashed into the bottom of the shaft with a loud splash, and the couple found themselves thrown into dark water.

Anna held back her yelp of shock and immediately began swimming towards surface. Everything was dark, and the water was almost as cold as it’d been in that frozen lake. She came bursting forth with a loud gasp, splashing as she looked around frantically. “K-kristoff?”

Her eyes were still adjusting to the darkness, but it seemed to look like the elevator had crashed into the bottom of the shaft, and the basement. The compartment had completely crumpled up. Water from years of rain and leaking had filled the basement room with almost nine feet of water, leaving the walls covered in algae and moss.

Kristoff popped up a few feet away, gasping and panting just as hard as she. “A-anna!?” He called out between watery coughs.

Anna sighed in relief. “I’m here, Kris!” she cried, swimming over to him. She fell into his arms and cupped his cheeks, checking his face for any wounds. “Th-they didn’t bite you, did they?”

He shook his head, still panting. “J-just a little scratch.”

Anna nodded and pulled away. “Good. I was worried…”

“Don’t,” he reassured her. “We’re fine. But c’mon, we’ve got to get out of here. I’m pretty sure those clickers are dead, but some could still surface.” He motioned for her to follow him, and Anna readily did. The pair gasped for air and dove down into the water below.

Anna’s eyes began to adjust to the darkness as they swam, though she wish they didn’t. She could now see dozens of infected clicker bodies floating towards the surface. Their blood stained the water, and the only solace Anna found in it was that they were dead.

The hotel’s basement had turned into some sort of watery wonderland, and the two continued to swim from room to room of the basement, popping up occasionally for air. As they got further away from the elevator shaft, pushing open door after door, passing through room after room, the water level began to decrease, and they finally had got it down to a level that they could walk easily in.

They spent what felt like hours trudging through the water, continuing to look for a way out. Their flashlights had been damaged after their plunge into the water, and offered hardly any light. Anna could still hear the faint sounds of infected, crying out from somewhere in the building. There was the occasional roll of thunder that shook the old walls and made Anna shiver. This hotel was quite old, even more so due to the outbreak. There were large cracks in the walls and near the ceiling, and with every thunderous tremor drywall dust sprinkled down from above.

“You don’t think this building could collapse, do you?” Anna asked, turning to look at Kristoff.

His eyes said ‘yes,’ but he shook his head. “Of course not. Just keep going, sweetheart, we’re almost out.”

Anna pretended to believe him, and kept going. Finally, they found a room with a staircase that led upward. They followed it up and came dripping wet to a door that led to the front lobby.

Kristoff took the lead and peeked through the open door. “There’s infected everywhere,” he murmured. “We’re going to have to be quiet.”

Anna nodded. They were almost out; they could do this. The two slowly crept through the door and began creeping along the wall, making sure their footsteps were small and silent.

Kristoff hadn’t been lying; the lobby was scattered with groups of infected. Some were prowling about, croaking at nothing in particular. Others stood perfectly still, heads hung back and groaning in pain. Anna and Kristoff had to time their movements to the last second, making sure they ducked behind sofas when needed and ran to the next pile of debris when it was clear. Through the boarded up windows Anna could see that the sun was rising. The pink light cast dramatic shadows over the lobby, though it didn’t seem to bother the infected.

Anna felt like she was in a daze; a constant stream of ducking, dashing, tip-toeing, and hiding. She just kept her gun at the ready and followed Kristoff until they finally made it to the front door. Together, they pushed the loveseat aside, and exited the hotel at last. Once outside, they ran as fast as they could without speaking, and it wasn’t until they were several blocks away that they finally stopped to breathe and celebrate.

It was as if a tremendous weight had been lifted off of Anna’s chest. The air felt clean and clear, the storm had stopped, and the clouds were painted with pink and grey. Morning had crept up on the quiet city, and both Anna and Kristoff had never been more grateful.

Anna turned to him with a grin, squealed, and threw her arms around his neck. _“We’re alive!”_ Their bodies were both still soaked, but at the moment Anna didn’t care. She was just so glad they were _okay._

Kristoff beamed at her. “For now,” he snorted, and hugged her briefly, but tightly. “But c’mon, I want to get to the hospital as soon as possible. I’m tired of running from those clickers.”

“Me too!” Anna nodded, following him as he started walking up the street. “But at least we learned our lesson now; no more sex in abandoned, creepy buildings! At least, not until we have the cure. Or ever again.”

Kristoff blushed, smiled, and shook his head. “You got it, feisty.”

☳☳☳

They continued their trek through the city, making sure to stay in the shadows of skyscrapers and other run-down buildings. Even so, Anna was puzzled to see that there weren’t any soldiers to be seen. She never heard the rumble of a military truck, the crack of gunfire, or the jarring sound of voices. It seemed as if the entire city was either in hiding, or didn’t exist at all.

“Where is everyone?” Anna whispered to Kristoff.

“I dunno,” he said apprehensively. “They’re probably still hiding out in the hospital; they have to make sure no one knows about the cure. If they had soldiers flooding this place it would give it away.”

Anna bit her lip. “I guess so…” She still wasn’t so sure. She just kept telling herself it’d all work out; it’d be okay, and they’d make it through this. They were almost there, they’d come so far, and it would be stupid to give up hope now.

Further into the city, they found themselves at a roadblock. There was a giant barricade of cars, trees, and streetlights all smashed and fallen over right in the middle of the street; right where they need to go.

“Great,” Kristoff sighed. “Now what?”

Anna scanned the street. “Here; we can cross through buildings. Most of their walls are falling apart anyway.”

He nodded and gave her hand a squeeze. “Good idea.”

They climbed into an office building and started working their way through town. Though climbing past all the debris and wreckage of the inner buildings was strenuous, they both had to admit it was probably safer than walking along the open streets, even if it was more time consuming.

They were almost there, Anna could see the shining glass dome of the hospital off in the distance, getting closer now. They’d be there within the hour! The couple had just entered an ornate church when Anna finally allowed herself to relax. After all, this place was so beautiful, it was hard not to. The floors were made of a shiny, warm oak that reflected the light. Golden rays of the sunrise lit up the stained-glass windows that lined the walls of the chapel, casting colorful hues across the peeling walls and rotting pews. It was like for a moment they were inside a kaleidoscope of ceaseless calm and everlasting serenity, where there was no outbreak, no loss, and no infected.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Anna asked, turning to look over her shoulder at Kristoff.

He nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah…”

She paused. “Is there something on your mind?”

“I was just thinking, with all these old buildings we find...it’s just hard to think things used to be _normal_. People didn’t come here for shelter or for hiding from a bunch of monsters.”

Anna slowed her pace. It was unusual for Kristoff to get so nostalgic for things lost nearly 14 years ago. He was always so focused on living and thriving in the present. “What are you saying? I thought I was supposed to be the wistful one of us.”

“I know, but I still wonder sometimes..what if we’d met under different circumstances? You and I, we could be together, just doing something _normal,_ like...like…”

“Like what, get married?” Anna asked, only half-joking.

“N-not exactly!” Kristoff stammered, cheeks bright red. He glanced at her nervously, a shy smile curving his lips. “Why...would you want to?”

Anna stopped at the stained glass window, looking up into the sunrise’s soft light. The window had a large hole in the bottom, large enough to cross through, and through it she could see that the clouds were turning a light pink and purple. She breathed in slowly, taking it all in. She thought of Kristoff, and all they’d been through, and how much she loved him. Then she smiled, looked over her shoulder, and said a single, simple word.

“Yes.”

 


	27. The Fear

**K** ristoff stared at her for a moment, blinking and opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish. “Wh-wha….you….”

Anna shrugged, giggled, and crawled through the hole in the stained glass door, making her way onto the grassy yard behind the church. As amusing as it was to see him in such a state, she still wanted to make sure they kept moving. They needed to make it to the hospital before sundown.

“Wait!” Kristoff called out, chasing after her. He crawled through the church window quickly, then rose to his feet and dashed up to her.

Anna turned to look over her shoulder just in time to be pulled into his arms. “Whoa!” She gasped as he spun her to face him.

“Do you really mean it?” He asked, looking into her eyes.

She blinked at him for a moment, taken aback by his sudden brashness. Then she smiled shyly and nodded. “I do.”

Kristoff beamed at her, then blushed and pulled away, suddenly bashful. “O-oh. Wow...that...that’s great! I mean, awesome! I mean…”

Anna giggled and kissed his cheek. “Now c’mon, dork. We’re almost to the hospital. We can’t get married today.”

Kristoff nodded sheepishly before regaining his composure. “Right! We have a job to do!” He took a hold of her hand and led her down the street eagerly. Anna blushed and let him drag her along. She hadn’t expected him to be so ecstatic about the notion of marriage, but she definitely wasn’t complaining. Nevertheless, after about 20 minutes of pulling her so anxiously, Kristoff grew tired and returned to their normal, steady pace.

They were both silent for awhile, but before long Anna grew tired of this and needed to lighten the mood. She started telling Kristoff various stories about her life growing up and all the stupid stuff she did as a kid, such as the time she tried to make a brownie smoothie in the blender, with no lid, and the time she and Elsa got in such a big fight over a box of crayons Anna cut off a lock of her sister’s hair.

“You sound like you were crazy!” Kristoff laughed. “Well, _are_ crazy!”

“Hey!” Anna pouted, nudging him hard, even though she knew he was joking. “Like you never did bad stuff as a kid.”

“Not as bad as that!” He laughed again. “My mother kept me occupied with taking care of the farm and stuff. I was too busy to be a wild child like you.”

Anna snorted. “Then I’m sure she would have hated me.”

“No, my mother would have really liked you,” Kristoff smiled. “She was always trying to set me up with girls she met at the supermarket or at her church or whatever. They never worked out, of course, because I was socially awkward and stuff, but that didn’t stop her from trying.”

Anna giggled. She tried to imagine Kristoff as a young teen, begrudgingly agreeing to go on dates for the sake of his mother. He was so sweet, Anna wouldn’t put it past him.

Too bad it took so long for that side of him to finally show. Anna still couldn’t even imagine what her 10-month old self would have thought of the idea of liking Kristoff, let alone loving him. He’d been so stubborn and cold to her...and she still didn’t really know what had caused him to build up such a shield. It couldn’t just be the infection; Anna had met plenty of people in the zone who had faced the past 13 years with their hearts on their sleeves. No, she knew it was something more, something she didn’t know if he was ready to tell her.

Anna hesitated to ask what she did next, after all, all her previous attempts had gotten her nowhere other than silence or one-word answers. But they’d grown so close, and come so far, Anna just had to know. “Kristoff...what happened to your parents?”

He stiffened slightly and Anna half expected him to snap at her or run off like he had in the past. But this time, he kept his outer demeanor calm, cool, and collected. His fingers ran over the black handle of his handgun, and he was silent for a minute or two, seemingly collecting his thoughts. Then he began to speak, though every word was tinged with the pain she knew he was fighting off.

“When I was 15, the infection broke out. My parents and I, well, my adoptive parents, we lived on this farm. It was in the city outskirts, so we were far from the infection. I thought I could keep us all safe…”

Anna held his hand more firmly. She could tell by the way his face was tightening and his set jaw that this wasn’t going anywhere good.

He was quiet for a moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was cold and rigid. “I was wrong...a group of clickers attacked our house, and...and….”

Anna’s eyes widened. “Oh, Kristoff…” she whispered.

He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. “They asked me to...to stop them from turning...and I…”

“It’s okay!” Anna gasped, pulling him into her arms just before he fell apart. Her heart broke for Kristoff. She had thought she had it bad, having to lose her parents to the infection, but she couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would have been like to _kill_ them. A big part of her regretted asking, but another part was glad she finally knew. “I-I’m so sorry,” she whispered, stroking the back of his head. “I...I had no idea.”

“I-I didn’t want to tell you,” he whispered, gripping onto her tightly. “I-I thought you’d blame me…”

“Blame you?!” Anna exclaimed, indignant. “Why would I ever blame you?”

“Because it was my fault!” Kristoff insisted, suddenly pulling out of her grasp and pacing back and forth. His hands dragged through his hair and pulled it, and he sounded both greatly distressed and angry. “I was a stupid kid, I convinced them to stay out on that farm, instead of going to the city for help! They wanted to leave, and I just forced them to sit there and be clicker bait!”

“None of that is on you!” Anna said firmly, grasping onto his arm and turning him to face her. “How were you supposed to know that such a horrible thing would happen? Exactly, you weren’t. You can’t keep worrying about the past, Kristoff. As hard as it is, we can’t change it. And what happened to your parents was an accident; a horrible, cruel accident, and it wasn’t your fault. Even if you had gone to the city, you could have been hurt there! No one knows! Just...be thankful you’re still alive! Your parents wouldn’t have wanted you to live in misery and regret!”

Kristoff stopped his pacing, and buried his face in his hands. Anna knew she had gotten through to him, but now she also knew she had to let him let his emotions out. After all, he was so good at holding them back, too good, actually.

She wrapped her arms around him and simply hugged him as Kristoff buried himself in her. His face went into the crook of her neck, and she soothed him with her scent and the feel of her hands in his hair. For that moment, Anna had never been more grateful for the empty, quiet streets, for it gave Kristoff the time and space he needed to let himself go with abandon.

After what felt like hours, Kristoff finally pulled away and took a final, deep, shuddering breath. “I-I’m sorry,” he said sternly. “I didn’t mean to break down like that, it’s just...I miss them, you know? If it wasn’t for you, I sometimes wish I had gone with them...it’s just not fair.”

Anna nodded and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I understand, Kristoff. I feel the same way about Elsa, and my parents. But...they all wanted happiness for us, and we’re going to get it. You told me you wouldn’t let Elsa’s death be in vain, and now I’m saying the same for your family. I will make sure you get that cure, and that you have the happy life your parents wanted for you.”

Kristoff just looked at her with a sort of warm, reverent fondness that she’d never seen from him before. It bore so much weight and respect to it, and she could tell Kristoff knew she would keep her word.

“ _Thank you.”_

☳☳☳

As they got closer to the hospital, Kristoff grew less somber and more excited. Not that he was smiling and jumping around, but he was definitely walking faster and giving more and more unnecessary instructions like, “Make sure you load your gun,” and “Check that your flashlight has batteries,” and “Make sure your shoelaces aren’t tangled up.” It was slightly aggravating, but also a little endearing, so Anna put up with it. Besides, she was just as anxious to get the cure as he was. A life without fear of getting infected would be a tremendous blessing in such a lost world.

They made their way down the main road to an underground tunnel, lined with broken down cars and trucks. “This should take us right to the hospital,” Kristoff mused, looking over his map one last time. “So let’s move.”

They started walking down the tunnel, each step into the darkness growing more hesitant. After all, a dark place like this would be a perfect nesting ground for infected. But to their surprise, and relief, it was silent.

They were about 20 minutes into their trek when Anna frowned and paused. “...Do you hear that?”

It was the sound of rushing water, growing louder with each step they took. Anna could feel the mist in the air and there were streams of water starting to trickle past her feet. There light far off but getting closer, illuminating the end of the tunnel.

Kristoff sounded tense. “Yes, just...say close.”

When they finally reached the end, they could see their was a new path in the tunnel, perpendicular to the one they were in and blocked off by a towering barricade of buses, trucks, and cars. Water leaked out from the barricade, running down the sides of the well-rusted cars and onto the concrete below. On the other side was the source of the rushing water, and their way out.

“Well,” Kristoff sighed, scanning everything over thoughtfully. “We might as well head on up, take a look around.”

Anna nodded, and let Kristoff give her a boost up and onto the top of the barricade. She shakily rose to her feet, and looked around. This new part of the tunnel was completely flooded over, with water rushing from the right end and to the left. Rapids crashed against cars and buses sunken beneath the waves, creating the mist that ghosted across her face. Large pieces of cement and concrete had caved in above the tunnel, casting down light from the blue sky above.

“What’s up there?” Kristoff called out.

“It’s like a current,” Anna replied, turning to look down at him. The cars underneath her creaked against the weight of the water, and Anna bit her lip nervously. “It’s completely flooded, but there’s some buses stuck in the water, we could walk on top of those.”

Kristoff nodded, and put his gun in his pocket. “Alright, sounds good.”

Anna knelt over and helped Kristoff climb up onto the barricade with her. He examined the tunnel for a moment before turning to her. “I’ll take the lead. We’ll use the buses, like you said. Just stay right behind me.”

Anna nodded. “Just...be careful, Kris.”

The water was so deep, only the tops of the tallest buses were visible. Thankfully, there was one close to them, and Kristoff jumped onto it. It shook under his feet, but he kept his stance, and turned to catch her when she jumped.

They traveled down the tunnel like this, Kristoff taking the lead and turning to help Anna afterwards. The further down they got, the faster the rapids seemed to be moving, and the more dangerous things got. Everything about their situation made Anna nervous, but she knew they had to keep going. They just had to get through this tunnel, and everything would be fine. She could already see the end of the tunnel off in the distance.

“We’re almost out!” Kristoff called out over the roar of the water. The harsh wind that whipped through the tunnel blew his hair around, and he pushed it out of his eyes. “Just come on!” He was waiting for her on top of a semi truck, his arms outstretched. “Alright, I’m ready!”

Anna nodded and prepared to jump. She took a deep breath, got a running start, and-

Slipped.

Her foot slid off the slick roof of the truck she was standing on, and instead of jumping, she was falling. With a loud smack she fell into the water below. Anna gasped in pain as she felt her body slam into the hood of the truck, but within seconds the strong current had pushed her past it, and further down the tunnel.

She popped up for air, but to her alarm, her fall had injured her leg; she couldn’t move it without blinding pain. _“K-Kristoff!”_

“ANNA!” Kristoff cried out. He was still on the truck, getting further and further away, face contorted in alarm and fear. “Just hold on!” He dove in the water after her and began swimming, but the distance between them was large and only getting bigger.

Anna tried her best to swim towards him, but it was no use. She couldn’t fight the rapids, especially with a bad leg. The waves pushed and shoved her against the vehicles trapped in the water, making her body even weaker. With each hood she rammed into, each truck her head smacked against, she felt herself slowly breaking down.

“K-kristoff!” she called out again, more faintly, still reaching out for him. But the current was just too strong; it tugged and pulled her further away from him, whipping her around violently. The water lapped into her mouth and made her cough and choke. She could barely keep her head above the water. Kristoff was still reaching out for her, calling her name, telling her to hang on.

His face was the last thing she saw before her head smacked into a bus for a final time, and everything went black.

☳☳☳

He’d seen her collide with the vehicle, and even more frighteningly, sink under the water unconscious. Seconds that felt like hours passed. He waited for Anna to come back up, splashing and insisting that she was okay, but she didn’t.

_Shit._

Kristoff’s eyes widened in horror and he immediately dove under to look for her. The water was murky and it was moving so fast that bubbles clouded his vision, but he didn’t care. He _had_ to find her!

He looked around frantically, feeling more panicked by the second, until _finally,_ he saw a figure a couple feet ahead, slowly moving downward.

_Anna!_

Kristoff narrowed his eyes and determinedly swam towards her, moving faster than he ever had before. He had to get to her, he had to make sure she was okay, he had to save her, he couldn’t lose her, not when they were so close, no, he couldn’t, he wouldn’t!

He wrapped his arms around her lifeless form, kicking back up to the surface rapidly. Her eyes were closed and there was a wound on her head, streaming blood into the water behind them.

_Shit, shit, shit!_

He came bursting forth with a loud gasp for air. They’d made it to the end of the tunnel where there was a large ramp, leading back out into the city street. The water level was lower there, and Kristoff lifted Anna and carried her to the top of it.

 _“Anna!”_ Kristoff exclaimed, coughing up water. He lay her down on the concrete and looked her over, panic-stricken.

He put his ear to her lips. She wasn’t breathing, and when he lowered his head, he couldn’t hear a heartbeat either.

_NO._

“C’mon, Anna!” Kristoff gasped as he started giving her CPR. “W-wake up!”

The sun glinted off the glass dome of the hospital behind him, reflecting back onto Anna’s frozen face. With every pump to her chest, Kristoff fell deeper into distress. The tears started to stream down his cheeks, mixing in with the water dripping off his face and falling onto hers.

 _She couldn’t be dead!_ They were right here, practically on the front steps of everything they’d dreamed of. Was her life going to be the price he paid for the cure?

He tilted her head back, and pressed his lips over hers, but she still didn’t draw breath. So he kept going. He pumped her chest and gave her air again and again, each attempt more desperate than the last. He wouldn’t give up! She wasn’t dead, he could fix this, he wouldn’t stop, she was going to be okay, he knew it, he loved her too much, and she was too strong...

Kristoff kept going until his arms were sore and he barely had enough air in him to breathe on his own. “N-no…” He whispered. The tears were so great, he could barely see her anymore. Finally, he broke down and fell across her, completely torn apart. _“A-anna!”_ He collapsed into deep, heavy sobs that shook his entire body. His hands curled into her hair, the fabric of her clothes, her skin, everything that was once his but now lost. Nothing mattered anymore, not without her here. In those long, sorrowful moments, Kristoff’s world had stopped spinning.

But then there was a sudden gasp, followed by a choking sound. Kristoff looked up immediately and saw Anna, his beautiful Anna, gasping for air. Water splurted out of her mouth and onto her chin as she blinked up into the sunlight, drawing breath after beautiful breath.

“Anna!?” Kristoff exclaimed, cupping her cheeks and looking into her eyes.

She blinked at him slowly, her entire body shaking and shivering. “A-Am I dead?”

Kristoff stared at her for a beat, completely disbelieving before he laughed, a joyous, relieved, laugh. “No!” He gasped, pulling her into his arms. He hugged her more tightly than he ever had before and kissed the top of her head. “You fucking scared me, sweetheart.”

“I-I wasn’t scared,” Anna whispered tiredly, smiling and burying her face in his neck. “I k-know you’ll always be there for me. T-today...tomorrow…and t-to the ends of the earth.”

 

 


	28. The Finale

**K** ristoff had to help Anna up the front steps of the hospital via allowing her to drape her arm over his shoulder and weakly limp forward. “Alright, last step,” he coached, “You can do it!”

“T-this is not how I imagined getting here,” Anna wheezed as they made it to the top. “I thought we’d show up with battle scars and confidence like bad asses.” 

“Well, we definitely have scars,” Kristoff smiled. “But we finally made it. Are you ready for this?” 

“More than ever!” Anna beamed. “I can’t wait to be done with all this adventuring. We need a vacation.” 

Kristoff smiled and snorted. “Yeah, among many other things. Let’s just sneak in, get the cure, and sneak out. Then we can focus on vacationing.” 

Anna giggled. “Alright.”

Kristoff made sure his gun was secure in his grasp, and with his free hand, opened the door of the hospital and led them both in.

Anna held her breath in anticipation. This was it! After almost a year of traveling and fighting, they were finally going to get their happy ending! She finally had everything she’d been hoping for! Kristoff, the cure, survival; everything was going to be-

Silent. Dark. Empty. 

Anna blinked around as they entered the hospital, trying to process what was in front of her. The lower floor was dark, but for the most part in tact. There were the ominous dark shapes of bodies scattered here and there, but Anna didn’t want to try and get a closer look. The main thing that stood out to her was the overwhelming silence throughout the building. There wasn’t the sound of doctors or soldiers or scientists, or any people at all. All there was to be heard was the faint sound of infected, seemingly coming from the basement. 

“Where is everyone?” Anna whispered, turning to look at Kristoff nervously. “Where’s the doctors and scientists and...the cure?”

“I...I don’t know,” He replied, increasingly sounding nervous. “Let’s just keep looking. C’mon, I’ll help you up the stairs.”

Anna nodded, but she found she wasn’t really focusing on what he was saying. _Where is it?!_ Her mind kept asking, more frantically by the minute. _It’s supposed to be here!_ Anna had never thought that she would be upset to not see the military, but at the moment, all she could feel was a rising sense of panic. She tried breathing slowly to calm herself, but it only came out in sharp, quick pants that made everything worse.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Kristoff suddenly said, turning to see her now panic-stricken face. “We’re going to be okay.” 

Anna just nodded quickly. “I-I know...I’m just...I really want this cure.” 

“Me too,” he murmured, pausing to kiss her forehead. “But you’re going to die of stress if you keep panicking like that. Just keep calm and stay quiet. I’m pretty sure there’s some infected below.”

Anna leaned closer to him and nodded. As much as she was worried, she couldn’t let herself collapse into a bundle of nerves. She had to stay focused. “H-how much further?” 

Kristoff glanced at the wall, where military-issued signs had been placed over the original directory. “It says their laboratory is on the top floor; just 4 more flights.” 

Anna took a deep breath, and continued limping up the stairs, using Kristoff for support. They continued their trek in silence, stopping only to allow Anna to catch her breath. With each step they went over, each moment that passed by, her leg felt increasingly worse. She knew she had probably sprained her ankle, if not broken it all together. But there would be time for that later; she had to keep moving, they were almost there. 

She didn’t remember reaching the top, and only that Kristoff was leading her into a big room, full of lab tables, medical supplies, and countless smashed test tubes. 

“Is this it?” Anna asked, eyeing the dark room and its gunshot-riddled walls. “It’s...it looks…” 

Kristoff’s face fell. “Well...maybe they’re just out...or something…” 

Anna bit her lip, and motioned to the corner. “Kristoff….there’s a body over there...It looks old…” 

He shook his head, seemingly in disbelief. “It...it has to be here somewhere! I know it! Start looking around!” He set her down gently and began tearing the whole room apart, digging through every last drawer, cabinet, and shelf. 

Anna watched him for a minute or two before limping over to the corner of the room, using chairs and tables to support herself. The man lying there wore a medical coat, though it was riddled with blood. More alarmingly was the large bite wound in his neck. He had clearly been infected before he died, so what was he doing here?

She squinted her eyes, balanced her hand on a nearby table, and leaned closer. The man had something grasped tightly in his hand, and with reluctance, Anna pulled it free. It was hard to see at first in the dark room, but Anna quickly recognized the object as a small vial, filled with a clear, luminescent liquid. At first she was confused as to what it was, but then it dawned on her. This had to be…

“The cure,” she whispered softly. Her heartbeat quickened. “K-Kristoff! I think I found it! The cure!”

“What?!” Kristoff exclaimed. He immediately dashed over to her, nearly tripping over a knocked over chair. “You...holy shit…” 

Anna beamed at him, showing off the vial triumphantly. “We did it! W-we actually did it!” 

Kristoff beamed back, but then looked around again, expectantly this time. “Is there any more? That looks like it’s only enough for one dose…” 

“Oh, uh...hold on,” Anna frowned and looked back around the body, but there was nothing else in his other hand. Only a small, black object, which lay on the floor beside him. “What’s this?” She carefully bent down to pick up what looked like an old tape recorder, covered with a dried, bloody handprint. 

“It looks like a tape recorder,” Kristoff said, stepping closer to her. “Play it; maybe it’ll explain what happened here, and if there’s more cures around here.”

Anna nodded and pressed the play button. After all, she was just as eager to get answers as he was.

They were greeted with the sound of heavy, raspy breathing. The person on the recorder sounded like they were near death; their breathing was just too shaky and raspy to be anything else. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they spoke. _“...The d-day is January 12, 2027. This is Doctor Cowen, head of the inoculation department...If you’re listening to this, I assume you’re wondering why the whole hospital looks like shit...a-and where the cure is. Well...it exists. W-we finally did it. There w-was only one batch, b-but it was all we needed._

_“Th-that’s when all hell broke loose. We had captured a few infected, to study their behaviors and how the virus affected their bodies, b-but they escaped. Th-they attacked us all and...we w-were infected. We didn’t know what to do. W-we all wanted the cure for ourselves, but there was only one and no time to make any more. That’s went Sergeant_ _Lieberman_ _pulled out his gun...I-It was a bloodbath. Everyone f-fighting for the same f-fucking thing...Now everyone else is dead...and I’m b-bleeding to death. I guess this is the price we pay for trying to save humanity...we die at our own hands, left to bleed out in a f-freezing hospital..._

 

_“P-please, take the cure back to the military station in Boston. They’ll k-know what to do; they can use the formula to create a vaccine that’ll save everyone...The hope we’ve all been waiting for is here! I...I...oh g-god…”_ The doctor paused, breathing getting faster and heavier. _“It hurts like hell…it’s so cold…”_

The recording went dead. 

Anna blinked at Kristoff wordlessly, feeling shocked. “W-wow…”

Kristoff frowned as he thought over the whole situation, scrutinizing every last detail of the recording. 

“They said that they made only one...and that they could make more with it…” 

“Then we can’t take it.” Kristoff said simply. “Not if the military’s coming for it. Besides, there’s only one, so both of us wouldn’t be able to have it anyway.”

Anna’s face fell. “B-but...we came all this way...Elsa….”

“I know,” Kristoff muttered, his face grim. “But...Elsa wouldn’t want us to be selfish. I promised her I’d take care of you, and I will. It’ll just have to be a little...harder.”

Anna turned the vial over in her hands, feeling forlorn. “I know but...it feels so stupid, to come all this way and then leave with nothing.” 

“I know…” He sighed. “It fucking sucks. But it’s what we have to do. If the doctor on the recording was right, the military could be here any day now. And then they’ll take that cure and bring it back to Boston. We can start heading that way, by the time we get there I’m sure they’ll have made plenty of the cure; enough to save everyone.” 

Anna nodded and reluctantly placed the cure back in the dead man’s hand. It didn’t seem fair, but at the same time, she knew it was. Besides, there was only one, and she knew she and Kristoff would be here fighting for years if they had to choose who would get it; both would insist that it would have to be the other. 

“So...next stop, Boston,” Anna said firmly. She laughed bitterly. “So much for our vacation.” 

“Yeah,” Kristoff smiled stiffly. “We’ll get one eventually...hopefully sometime within the next 10 ye-” 

They didn’t even have a warning. The infected had found them, and leapt into attack A group of 5 flooded the room and lunged towards them both, croaking and wailing angrily. 

“ _SHIT!”_ Kristoff gasped. He reached for his weapon, but a clicker pounced on him, sending him crashing to the ground. 

Anna tried to run forward, but her leg completely gave way. She slipped and fell onto her back, wincing as she felt some of the test tube shards dig into her back. With shaking hands, she pulled out her gun and started firing off shot after shot, taking out one infected after another. She went first for the one on top of Kristoff, nailing it right in the head. She then turned her gun onto the second and third, but before she could fire at the others, the fourth lunged on top of her, knocking the weapon out of her hand. It screeched right in her face and reared its ugly, rotted jaw before going down, ready to sink its teeth into her neck. 

Kristoff pushed the body off himself and quickly lept back up, firing off two shots into the infected on top of her, who was mere centimeters away from infecting Anna. With a sharp turn, he faced the last clicker and emptied his round, only stopping when the infected was lying lifeless, surrounded by a pool of deep maroon. 

Anna gasped for air, still trying to get over the shock of what had just happened. “Th-that...that must have been the ones they captured.”

“Y-yeah…” Kristoff nodded, sounding just as rattled. He dropped the empty gun and brushed his hair out of his eyes, leaving blood streaks on his face. 

That should have been that. They didn’t hear any more infected coming, and they had their plan of action already mapped out. They just had to get out of this hospital, and town, as soon as possible and everything would be fine. 

But then she saw it _._

Anna’s faced paled. Her heart stopped. “Kristoff...your arm.” 

Kristoff frowned and looked down, only for his face to be contorted with dread. “W-what? O-Oh my god…” 

They both were covered with blood, but Kristoff was even worse. It streamed and flowed down his arm, staining his red sweatjacket a dark maroon. He frantically pushed up the torn sleeve of the jacket, only to find deep teeth marks underneath. 

“ _NO!”_ Anna gasped, her hands flying up to her mouth. She pushed herself up and limped over to him, wanting to see the infected bite for herself. Her mind was screaming, her vision had gone blurry, and she could barely breathe, let alone process what was happening. “ _No, no, NO!”_

Kristoff looked up at her helplessly, his eyes wide and scared. “I...I’m sorry! I...I...Oh, God...” 

“You...you…” Anna cradled his arm, staring at the fresh bite and shaking her head. _“K-kristoff!”_

He backed away, as if her holding him would somehow get her infected too. “I-I’m sorry!” He repeated, holding his arm away from her. “I d-didn’t mean for this to happen!” 

_“I know you didn’t!_ ” Anna wailed, immediately bursting into deep, heavy, sobs. “B-but...G-god _WHY?”_

Kristoff looked down at the ground, unable to look her in the eye. His face was distorted with pain and regret, and Anna felt her heart break further as she saw tears start to stream down his face. “Y-you have to go,” he whispered, voice clearly bearing the weight of his sorrow. “Get out of here before I turn!” 

“ _NO!”_ Anna sobbed, clenching her fists and glaring at him. “I’m n-not leaving without you! Th-there has to be another way!” 

“There isn’t another way!” Kristoff insisted, finally looking up at her. “You have to get yourself to safety! Get back to Boston, wait for the cure, you’ll be okay!” 

“K-kristoff, I-” Then it came to her. She hobbled back over to the doctor’s body, snatching the vial out of his hands and waving it excitedly. “Th-there is another way! We have the cure right here! Take it and you’ll be okay!” 

Kristoff blinked at her for a moment. Then he shook his head, jaw set. “No.” 

“No?! What do you mean, no!?” 

“I can’t do that, Anna! It’s...it’s not right! It’s...selfish and wrong and…” 

“I don’t care!” Anna pled, stepping closer to him. “I need you, Kristoff! And this is our answer!” 

“You can’t screw everyone else over to just save one person!” 

“But you’re more than just ‘one person!’ Kristoff, I’ve already lost my parents, and Elsa, and my entire life. I can’t lose you too! You mean everything to me!” 

“But, Anna, think about what this could do! That vial contains the most powerful thing in this world right now! With it, we could stop so many people from feeling the pain we have!”

“You said they would only give it to politicians and the military!”  

“Well, that recording made it sound different! The military could be coming here any day now, looking for the cure!” 

“Well, they’re going to have to keep looking!” Anna insisted, opening the top of the vial with shaking fingers.

“Anna, NO.” Kristoff said firmly, moving away from her again. “I’m not going to take it!” 

“ _K-kristoff!_ ” Anna wailed, starting to bawl again, sounding near delirious. “Please, just take it! I can’t make it on my own!” 

“Anna, think about what you’re saying!” He snapped, still clutching at his wound. “That cure could save thousands of people! It’s the last hope they all have! I’m not worth it!’ 

“ _Yes you are!_ ” Anna insisted, holding it out to him and limping closer. “You’re the last thing I have left in this world, Kristoff! Why don’t you want to stay with me?!” 

Kristoff’s face crumpled with the pain of her words, and he shook his head helplessly. “It’s not like that! Of course I want to stay with you, Anna. I love you more than anything. But I can’t just think about what _I_ want. We’re talking about the fate of the entire world! We’ve all been living in hell for almost 14 years now, and now you and I can make sure that ends once and for all!” 

“They can make another cure!” 

“How do you know that? It took them 14 years just to make this one! Are you willing to let another 14 pass? Think of all the lives that’ll be lost! Are you going to be able to live with it?”

Anna sniffled, looking down at the small vial in her hands. “I...I don’t know. I just...I know can’t live without you...” 

He looked up at her, eyes soft, but demeanor steadfast. “Anna, I love you. But you don’t need me to survive. You’ve grown so much. When I was still getting over that bullet wound, you took care of yourself. You hunted food and fought infected and even rescued me. You don’t need me; you’re strong, smart, and amazing, and I know you can handle anything.” 

Anna hiccuped, the silent tears streaming down her face faster now. “I k-know but...I don’t w-want to…” 

Kristoff nodded and simply pulled her into his arms. “I know, sweetheart.” Her body started to shake, and he held her tighter, strong forearms curling around her small waist. 

Anna smiled weakly, and buried herself in deeper into his embrace. She could feel the blood of his bite flowing through her clothes as he squeezed her, but she didn’t care. She closed her eyes and took in his familiar scent; pine trees, campfire smoke, and a hint of ash, and curled her fingers in the grey fabric of his t-shirt. The hospital was blanketed with her silence as she thought and desperately wished she didn’t have to make this choice. She would have given anything to just go back in time...though to when, she wasn’t quite so sure. 

“Well, I can’t force you to do anything,” Kristoff finally said, his voice calm. “It’s your choice: are you going to save me, or save the world?” 

The silence dragged on.

☳☳☳

“Search the building!” The general ordered, motioning for his troops to rush the first and second floors. Soldiers ran into the decrepit building, guns ready to fire at a moment’s notice. 

The general watched as they searched the first floor, then the second and third. Bodies were strewn everywhere; infected, doctors, civilians...The increasing lack of signs of human life were starting to alarm him, but he kept directing his soldiers onward, until they were at the top floor of the building. 

The metallic smell of blood was fresh in the air, as well as splattered across the walls and floors. The bodies of newly killed infected were scattered across the floor, leading a trail up to the laboratory. The entire room was torn apart, much unlike how it’d looked only a year ago when the general had checked in last. His eyes widened in horror as he saw the head of this operation, Doctor Cowen, slumped against the corner, or at least what was left of him. 

The soldiers continued to search the entire room, practically turning the place upside down. The general looked on with harsh eyes. He couldn’t afford another mistake, not like what had happened the first time they’d tried to make the vaccine. But after 15 minutes of tearing the entire room apart, they found nothing. 

The second lieutenant approached him quickly, looking nervous but clearly trying to mask it. “Sir...i-it’s gone!” 

The general’s eyes narrowed as something inside him snapped. “What the hell do you mean, ‘it’s gone’?!” 

“It’s not here! We searched everywhere, and there aren’t any positive reports from any of the lower floors. All we found was this, left in the doctor’s hand.” With a shaking grip, he handed a tape recorder over to the general, waiting for his reaction. 

The general looked the object over carefully. It was a military-issued device, one that he had remembered giving the doctor upon deploying him to this location. It was supposed to be used to record the team’s medical findings, but perhaps there was something more.

The troop gathered round as they listened to the message left behind by Doctor Cowen, all shocked as the learned the horror of what had taken place. But it didn’t end there. After his message ended, there was another one after it, one that both angered them, and left them completely wordless. It was a woman’s voice, a young one by the sound of it, and what she had to say would stick with them forever, it both good and bad ways. 

_“Hey, so, you’re probably wondering where the cure is. By listening to the last message you know that it exists, and that there was only one left. Well...long story short, it’s gone. It’s just...When I heard about the cure, I thought it would be our answer to everything! ...I didn’t expect things to be so bleak. My boyfriend and I traveled miles to get here, just to take a little for ourselves. When we heard the recording, at first we weren’t going to touch it, and then…he got i-infected. It was horrible, w-we got attacked by a horde of those i-infected and...He told me it would be okay, that I could make it on my own, but I didn’t care...I...I took the cure, and gave it to him. Just like that, the thing that might have saved humanity was gone, and honestly...I don’t think I regret it._

_“I don’t know why I’m recording this, since I know this is going against martial law and can get us into big trouble. I know you guys are going to be super angry about it, but I think that’s okay. The world is full of monsters and cannibals and murderers and a leaders who are no better. I’m starting to wonder if it’s all even worth saving._

_“Anyway, I guess...I just wanted you to know what happened, why it’s missing...By the time you get this message we’ll probably be long gone. You might come after us, but we’ve been running for a year now, and we can run for many, many more. We’re not going to stop, because we’re going to fight for every last moment we have together, whether it’d be 5 minutes or 5 years. I know it’s selfish, but with so little left in this world, we have to fight for what, and who, we love, no matter what the cost...And at the end of the day, all we can really do is fight and hope that it gives us just a little more time, however short it may be.”_


	29. Epilogue

**1 Year Later**

Anna ran her fingers through her hair, brushing it out of her eyes and behind her ears. She hadn’t thought of herself as nervous, but looking at her shaking hands gave it away. Alright, so she was a little anxious. Anxious _and_ excited. This was only one of the biggest days of her life, after all. 

They’d been living in this abandoned cabin for almost 3 months now, and Anna was still getting used to the idea of calling it home. But she and Kristoff were making it so. He was already almost done with building the tall fence surrounding the property, designed to keep infected out, or at the very least, slow them down. Anna hadn’t been too keen on the idea, for it blocked off most of the beautiful view of the rolling mountains, but she knew it was for their own safety.  

She now sat perched on top of an old, spindly chair, eyeing her reflection in the shattered mirror in front of her. She was almost ready, she just needed to add a few finishing touches. She’d weaved a crown of wildflowers for her hair; there were some violets, forget-me-nots, daisies, and baby’s breath, and while it was no tiara or trailing veil, Anna thought it made her look beautiful all the same. She had no fancy shoes or gown, and instead wore an old white sundress that she’d found while pillaging through a strip mall. 

The only thing that was missing was the one person Anna wanted to be here most: her sister. When she closed her eyes, Anna could almost feel Elsa placing her hand on her shoulder, eyes bright and smile warm. _“You look beautiful,”_ Elsa would say, adjusting the last few flowers in her hair. _“Kristoff is luckier than he’ll ever fully know.”_

“So am I,” she whispered, wiping at her eyes. “I-I was so lucky to have you as a sister.”

 _“Hey!”_ Elsa smiled, cupping her sister’s face gently. _“Don’t cry! Today is a beautiful day and I couldn’t be more proud of you! You’ve fought for me, and I know you’re not done yet. Keep fighting, my sister, keep surviving for me.”_

Anna nodded and sat up straighter. “Y-you’re right. Brides can’t be sad.” 

 _“Well, they_ could _be, if they really wanted to,”_ Elsa said wryly, _“But not when they’re as tenacious as you, or when they have an incredible groom like yours waiting at the aisle for them.”_

Anna giggled, but she didn’t want to open her eyes, for Elsa felt so _real_ and _close,_ and she knew the vision of her sister was very fragile, and that once she opened her eyes her image would disappear faster and more painfully than the shattering of glass. 

Elsa didn’t give her a chance to plead. “ _He’s waiting for you,”_ she whispered. And with that, she pressed her lips to Anna’s cheek and within an instant was gone. 

Anna opened her eyes, and she was back in the cabin’s bedroom again, looking into the broken shards of the mirror on the wall. Elsa was right, it was time. She slipped her sneakers on and grabbed her hand-picked bouquet of wildflowers, heart racing in her chest. She raced out of the bedroom, down the hall, through the main room, and out the door, making sure to secure the door behind her. 

Kristoff was waiting for her behind the cabin, where there was a beautiful view of the mountains and forests behind him. His eyes lit up when he saw her, and she was sure hers did too. After all, he looked so _handsome_ and perfect. Sure, they couldn’t find anything fancy; he had just combed his hair back (though strands were starting to hang over his eyes) and put on a nice blue shirt and a pair of jeans that weren’t riddled with blood stains and dirt. But that was Kristoff, _her_ Kristoff, and she didn’t fall for him on account of polished looks and a shiny finish. 

She had to stop herself from running over to him, and instead willed herself to walk as gracefully and poised as she could. Kristoff took note, and raised a questioning eyebrow at her out of character behavior, to which Anna simply laughed and ran the rest of the way over to him. 

Kristoff smiled and held out his hands, and Anna placed her bouquet down and grasped them excitedly. He still bore the scar of the infected wound on his forearm, though it was continuing to heal, and Anna felt at peace knowing that that was all behind them now. 

Kristoff started to say some words, and Anna drank in every last one. She wanted to remember this moment for the rest of her life, including every last detail, from the warm summer breeze against her cheek to the callouses on Kristoff’s hands. 

Her eyes were starting to shimmer from her tears, as were his. But for the first time in a long time, they were ones of pure, genuine joy.

Then came the most important part of all, and Kristoff held her hands tighter before he spoke. 

“Do you, Anna Bell, promise to take me as your husband and best friend, to love and cherish me, to protect me and fight for me, to laugh with me and cry with me, and to never give up on me, as long as we both shall live?” 

Anna blinked back her tears and smiled. “I do.”

He grinned excitedly, cheeks flushed pink. 

Anna smiled giddily, practically jumping on the spot with excitement. “And do you, Kristoff Bjorgman, promise to take me as your wife and best friend, to love me and cherish me, to protect me and fight for me, to laugh and cry with me, and to never, ever give up on me, as long as we both shall live?” 

Kristoff shook his head. “Longer.” 

Anna giggled and rolled her eyes, though she felt her heart soar at his words, for she knew they were true. “Well then, I now pronounce us husband and wife, for now, forever, and ‘till the ends of the earth. Now kiss me!” 

Kristoff laughed, their lips met, and happy tears streaming down both faces melded into one. His arms curled around her tightly and he spun her in the air, laughing when she did and only stopping when she giggled that she was getting dizzy. Then he lowered her slightly, but she still stayed in his arms, foreheads pressed together and both breathing slowly. Her hair was loose and cascaded around them, encompassing them in this moment of pure bliss and nevermore. 

Anna knew this wasn’t their happy ending, or any kind of ending at all. This was only the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, a turn of the page, where they were free to run and dream and know that whatever would come next, whatever challenges and foes they may face, they wouldn’t have to be alone. They’d have each other, and that’s all that mattered. 

A part of her felt like she was dreaming, and she feared that in a few moments she’d wake up, and she would be back in that dark hospital room, cradling an infected Kristoff and praying for a miracle. But time kept going on, Kristoff continued to hold her close, and all Anna could do was smile, kiss his cheek, and hope that she’d never wake up. 


End file.
